A row of exquisite heirloom pumpkins (and one renegade pomegranate) are lined up for a study of autumn’s bounty in Pumpkin Lineup. Heirloom pumpkins have been around for centuries, brought to the United States from all over the world. Pumpkin Lineup features six of these beauties, each one a different study in color and texture.
I discovered this bounty of heirloom pumpkins at a roadside stand in the Texas Hill Country. I loaded up our car with a dozen of them to bring home to Arizona. I included the little pomegranate because I liked how it had a similar seed-heavy shape and provided a little blast of red to the scene.
The pumpkins were all painted in an exacting representational style. But that background! I used abstract techniques to achieve the mottled appearance - scraping the color on with a spatula to create visual interest and depth..
I also employed abstract painting methods to create the texture of the surface of the bench. First, I applied undercolours that were the grey-brown color of the aged wood. Then, I layered on the white paint like spackle, building it on, and then scraping through the paint to reveal the undercoats - just like gouges in a painted surface would reveal the wood underneath. This technique would never be employed by traditional realists, but ironically, I think the results look more realistic because they mirror the way actual paint would be aged.
I have used this old bench in several paintings. I absolutely love the peeling paint, nail holes, and old saw marks which give this worn piece of furniture its charm.
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