Still Life with Orange

A Single Orange 9” x 12” Oil on Canvas Sometimes I believe it is the everyday items that make art so pleasurable. By taking the time to focus on how light hits and is reflected on a specific item, like this orange, one is able to slow down just a little and grow in understanding. I liked painting this orange because it helped me better appreciate what an orange is, how the different parts of the orange combine to make it a single piece of fruit. When given an opportunity to paint the parts – the tough opaque rind, the soft doughy white of the pith, and the vibrant color and translucency of the fruit – a greater appreciation of the fruit becomes a new part of my life.

I believe this is what art and painting are for me, by increasing my observation of one thing, I have effectively expanded my life and the experiences I am likely to have in the future.