Friday, August 22, 2008

Three Asian Pears

Three Asian Pears
oil on canvas panel
6x6"
Don't these look different? More like something painted in the late 19th century. It's the lighting that made the difference.




Over the last two days we have been dinkin' around with new lights for my studio. I have been laboring with floor lamps and table lamps and they just weren't cutting it. I needed to have blazingly bright color corrected fluorescents like I had in my old studio. We thought the ceilings were too low so we didn't think they would work, but then nothing else would work either so back to plan A.




There had been a strip of three lights here on the ceiling beam which cast terrible shadows in all the wrong ways. Dave, to my great surprise said that he could switch that light to an outlet and we could plug in the shop lights we bought for the dark garage. Great! But then those shop lights had no easy way to be mounted flush. Bad design and cheap lights. However Dave had a better one over his workstation in the potting shed, and I requisitioned it and another matching one was found, both with lower profiles. Still they weren't meant to be mounted flush either but with some skillful drilling by My Hero, they went up. Of course the power cords will be mounted discreetly on the ceiling too, and that beam is going to be painted WHITE, along with all the pine woodwork...this winter. I was just in too much of a hurry to get back to the easel and took the photos before they got fastened.


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Yesterday I got this comment: I know you are having fun painting, but do you think you will ever get back to quilting again?


Of course I tried to be witty and say that I have a garage full of quilts and she could come over and get some. Not smart. But it got me thinking...I do have some quilts (in the house and easy to find) that I could put on Ebay and satisfy those who wish I would stop this foolishness and get back to quilting.



click

Pine Patch #1
Hand dyed and vintage cottons, hand and machine quilted, fused of course, and about 16.5" squarish.

9 comments:

  1. WE would never call your painting "foolishness" dear, you're remarkable to be able to successfully cross the line from one media to another.

    As we say at our house, "Love you, love your show!"

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  2. Anonymous8:07 AM

    "...stop this foolishness..." hehehe...

    Oh, yeah, those Asian Pears are really foolish! NOT!!

    Oh, Melody, isn't it wonderful to realize that, in fact, sometimes it IS all about YOU? Like, when it comes to self-expression and finding what brings you joy?

    Almost as though (are you sitting down?) your life is actually--gasp!--your own, and you're allowed to choose your course without putting it to people you've (mostly) never met, and asking them to vote! Wow! Radical!

    Paint on--lovin' it, here.

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  3. I do like this different look. The minute the photo came up my mind went ... oh..... so subtle and soft. The light change makes the color kind of mushy like a cloudy day some how. It doesn't look like this painting was done yesterday.

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  4. Anonymous4:04 PM

    Love the leaf on that pear!

    Mary G.

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  5. I love the leaf on the pear too.....I think it looks like it's painted in watercolor.....not oil. You keep up the painting.....you can always go back to quilting.

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  6. Anonymous8:13 AM

    What? You're not selling the pears?? I love this one!

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  7. Anon,Email me privately and we'll talk about these pears.
    Mel

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  8. From the gist of your blog postings, it seems to me you are a painter who was having fun with quilting!

    For those of us who found you as an established quilter of wonderful quilts, use of colour, and the freeing nature of fusing - that was a revelation to me - we can be a little sad we're not seeing more quilts, but it's not about us. Your paintings are wonderful! The realism was unexpected but just made me realise more of your gift.

    What you are is an artist Melody - how you express that is your choice.

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  9. i'll admit i do miss your quilting revelations and the work they produce...but i'm the richness of your painting and the fact that you're enjoying painting so much.

    i've learned the importance of being prolific in making art by your example...keep on keeping on!

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Hello,
So nice of you to drop by. I love your comments, and if you would really like a reply, please email me at fibermania at g mail dot com