Unmindful Mindfulness Moments Can Still Be Fruitful

Blue Bowl & Blushing Pair of Pears

8 x 10  

$175 matted, unframed

My most recent painting is above.  Somewhere on an internet photo site I saw a picture of a fluted bowl with 2 pears in front of it that I really liked. I drew the outline of the 3 objects but no details, set it aside to save for a painting day but then forgot to save the image to refer back to. I could no longer remember anything about it other than the fluted part of the bowl was red.  This presented me with the perfect opportunity to be brave and paint what I wanted to see rather than drawing so much upon what I saw.  I know I ended up with something much more exciting than than the photo I originally saw. Note to self: Taking chances when painting can be fruitful.  

Speaking of fruit ....  and this refers back to the title of this post ... most of my close friends know that I attempt to practice mindfulness as much as I can - basically trying to stay in the moment and observe my thoughts, emotions and reactions to what's going on.  It makes for a much less stressful existence.  The other morning I had just finished reading an article on different ways to hold your own gallery shows and, with my latest painting of the pears lying where I could see it, I started to prepare my usual breakfast of cereal with a half banana sliced on top accompanied by a glass of water and a side of vitamins served in a small dipping cup.  I was mindful that I'd drifted off into thoughts of my own future gallery show, and I gently brought my mind back to slicing my banana, noticing it's scent, how ripe it was and how the sharp knife made such nice thin slices that dropped off and then stuck to the slice that fell before it.  I was aware that it was quite a creative stack of banana slices and stepped back to admire it when I suddenly realized what I'd done.  My laughter brought all 3 of the dogs running into the kitchen to see what was up.  I had completely forgotten to pour my cereal and had carefully and artistically sliced my banana into the small cup holding my vitamins.  Oops! 

Here's a picture of the pears that I took at night.  I had dimmed the lights in the breakfast room where I paint and walked through to get a glass of water when I realized the painting was absolutely glowing in the dim light.  I LOVED the colors and stood there playing with the light switch and watching how the painting changed with the light.  

I've now painted lemons in a copper pot, oranges on a plate and in a bowl, and pears in a painting that glows in the changing light. Actually, this is my second painting of pears.  I commissioned myself to do a painting to give as a wedding present to my nephew, Rick and his wife, Debra.  I wanted to share 2 of the progress pictures I took while working on it.  Again I was inspired by a photograph but decided to change and enhance the colors and shadows.  I ended up being really happy with the way it turned out.  

The above photo was taken in poor light so it looks a little dull.

I forgot to take a picture of it before I matted and framed it so this was taken through the glass.  I wrote on the matte:

Debra & Rick ... A Pearfect Pairing ...  March 8, 2015

I want to paint peaches next.  Wish I'd thought to take a picture of my sliced bananas topping my vitamins; not because it was beautiful or worth painting, but because it looked so mindful in a strange way.  It reminded me of the carrot that 8 year old granddaughter Kate pared down to a thin stick when she was here for dinner the last time.  We both had been stuck in our mindful moments.  Some are more fruitful than others. 

I love this quote I saw on watercolor artist Morton E Solberg Sr.'s Facebook page:  Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures."  Henry Ward Beecher