Peachy Patchwork
Peaches & Quilt. Acrylic on canvas, 12 x 12 inches by Sarah Atlee
Peaches & Quilt. Acrylic on canvas, 12 x 12 inches by Sarah Atlee
Peaches are revered in many cultures as a symbol of longevity, vitality, and wealth. Small wonder - who can resist the sweet smell and juicy flesh of a ripe peach? Each fruit is a treasure.
Peaches. Janet Fish, 1971. Click image to view source.
In this painting by Janet Fish, the tempting peaches are sealed in plastic wrap, increasing our anticipation.
Riverbank of Peach Blossoms. Shi Tao, Chinese, 17th century. Click image to view source.
Peach trees blossom before their leaves appear each spring, contributing to their association with health and vitality. Here landscape painter and poet Shi Tao treats us to a whole riverbank alive with peach blossoms.
Fanciullo con canestro di frutta. Caravaggio, Italian, 16th century. Click image to view source.
In European painting, the peach represents the heart, while a leaf attached to the fruit suggests the tongue. Put them together and you have a symbol for speaking from the heart. The young man in this work by Caravaggio looks as though he's about to do just that.
By now, I know you're thinking about it. Who can forget the immortal tribute to peaches by The Presidents of the United States of America? Here's a cover of their famous song "Peaches" played on actual peaches.
A is for Avocado
Avocados. Acrylic on unstretched canvas, 24 x 24 inches by Sarah Atlee.
The first time I cut open an avocado, I was about 5 years old. My dad built up the suspense by telling me this was the fruit wherein "God made a mistake!" What mistake? I wanted to know. He showed me the seed inside, explaining that God had made it way too big.
I can't say I mind the oversized seed inside this oversized berry. Removing the seed (using the pleasing knife-strike-and-twist maneuver) reveals a void so obligingly concave that it's just asking to be painted.
In India it's called a butter fruit, in Taiwan a cheese pear. The English epithet alligator pear was corrupted from its ancient Nahuatl name ahuacatl. I call it my favorite afternoon snack.
Sarah's Happiness on Crackers
1. Slice one avocado in half lengthwise and remove seed 2. Using a large spoon, scoop the two halves out of the skin and into a bowl 3. Drizzle with EVOO and balsamic vinegar 4. Add cracked pepper to taste 5. If you're me, take a photo of these beauties 6. Mash (if desired) and enjoy on crackers
Or are you hankering for guacamole? Illustrated Bites has a simple recipe, along with a handy visual guide for slicing avocados.
Update: Like your chips & dips more on the surreal side? PESFilm has an alternate guacamole recipe for you.
Read more about the avocado on Wikipedia.
See Avocados in Person
Avocados will be available for purchase in February 2015 at Ro2 Art in Dallas. Join us for a two-person exhibition featuring Sarah Atlee and James Isaac Zamora. Contact Ro2 Art for more details.
UPDATE: For Real has been reviewed by Jenny Block for The Huffington Post! Read the full review here: "A Hyperrealism That Questions Reality With James Zamora and Sarah Atlee at RO2 Art"
Bonus Gratitude!
A special bonus gratitude session to round out the series. There's someone very special I haven't yet mentioned in my gratitude series.
You.
Thank you for reading this. Thank you for visiting my website. Thank you for sharing your kind words of encouragement. Thank you for saying hello, for your handshake, for your smile.
Thank you for subscribing. Thank you for coming to see my shows. Thank you for sharing your stories about how you connect with my work. Thank you for bringing my art into your home and making what I do a part of your life.
Thank you for supporting an artist, any artist. Thank you for taking the time to look at art. Thank you for looking.
You are my supporter, my patron, my colleague, my collaborator, my friend.
Thank you.
Do we know eachother yet? I would love to connect with you. Sign up and let's stay in touch!
What - and who - are you thankful for? Express your gratitude in the comments below.
Read Coffee, Sleep, Paper - In Gratitude, Part 1 Read Boundaries, Bracelets, and Biz Coaches - In Gratitude, Part 2 Read Monkeys, Quilts, and Toilet Art - In Gratitude, Part 3 Read It's the Little Things - In Gratitude, Part 4
It's the Little Things - In Gratitude, Part 4
It's November, home of my favorite holiday! This month I'm spending a few minutes each day writing about something for which I am thankful. Batch number four is The Little Things. Food
Friday night food truckin'.
Most people come to Austin for the live music and mild winters. I'm here for the food. Fresh sushi, succulent barbecue, farm-to-table delicacies galore, and more taco trucks than you can twang a steel guitar at. Heaven has a zip code, and it starts with 787.
Rain
Our apartment is situated in the corner of a courtyard, on the ground level. When it rains even just a little, the downspout off the building's roof empties right outside our patio. It's like our own private waterfall.
Fun fact: Lots of Texans (and other folks) are grateful for the rain.
Getting Rid of Stuff
Always feels good.
Life's Surprises
We celebrated our turkey day a week early by cooking a beautiful bird from Richardson Farms. The next morning, I awoke to a cold lodged in my chest. Oh, if only I'd had a big pot of homemade broth already on the sto- WAIT A MINUTE.
Opening the Windows
Fresh breeze in the studio is a luxury I get to enjoy on occasion - not in July, but often in October.
Donuts
For when a deadline approaches and you need twelve sugar rushes in three days.
Just Being
Sit with me a moment. Still your hands. Breathe in, then out. Close your eyes and do it again. Isn't this nice?
Neck Pillow, sketchbook drawing by Sarah Atlee.
What are you thankful for? Express your gratitude in the comments below.
Read Coffee, Sleep, Paper - In Gratitude, Part 1 Read Boundaries, Bracelets, and Biz Coaches - In Gratitude, Part 2 Read Monkeys, Quilts, and Toilet Art - In Gratitude, Part 3 Read Bonus Gratitude!
Monkeys, Quilts, and Toilet Art - In Gratitude, Part 3
It's November, home of my favorite holiday! This month I'm spending a few minutes each day writing about something for which I am thankful. Batch number three. Color!
The Crayon-Bow Crayola Color Chart, 1903-2010. Click image to view source in its original interactive glory.
I may have a touch of synaesthesia, because I want to treat the above chart like a mix between a koto and the wallpaper from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
Seeing Art in Person
Austin art lovers enjoying an evening out.
Anyone who's been in an art history class will have heard a professor bemoan the fact that we learn about art by looking at slides, textbooks, and, horror of horrors, the Internet. Now I don't think these media (or the professors) should be thrown into the sea. But experiencing a work of art in person really is a horse of a different color.
I live in a place where I have a lot of opportunity to do just that. I recently attended Art Night EAST, a special preview event for the annual East Austin Studio Tour.
Living With Art
I have seven pieces installed in my bathroom.
Artists don't just make art - we're collectors, too. My art collection began with small pieces given as gifts or in trade with my fellow art students. It has grown to include significant purchases and even commissions.
You know what I love? Going to someone's house and seeing art in their bathroom. Think about it - how many rooms in your home do you use every day without fail? If my art ends up over a collector's toilet or kitchen sink, my heart swells because I know that person wants to look at it every single day.
Pretty In Pink, photographic print by romy owens. Three guesses where this one hangs.
The Austin Modern Quilt Guild
You may know that when I'm not painting, I'm quilting. After moving to Austin, I googled local quilting groups and discovered the Austin chapter of the Modern Quilt Guild. I didn't know it yet, but I was already a modern quilter!
The AMQG deserves a whole post just to list all the cool things they do. I'll just say that I'm eagerly anticipating QuiltCon.
Seeing Artists at Work
Palette Peelins.
Imagine a masterpiece, centuries old, on a pedestal at a museum. It looks as though it appeared there by magic. We don't get to see all the mistakes the artist ever made before they got that one right. Unless the artist lets us peek behind the curtain.
Whenever I get to see the inside of an artist's studio or sketchbook, I know I'm learning something.
Art Blogs
The power of the Internet as a tool of communication still amazes me. It's my primary source for new contemporary art, and historical art that's new to me. If you'd like to start reading some excellent art blogs, I recommend Beautiful Decay, Illustration Art, Lines and Colors, Bibliodyssey, Robert Lange Studios, and especially:
The Near-Sighted Monkey
Do you know Lynda Barry? Wow. I mean, she's just so awesome. Want to learn things about creativity, drawing, writing, comics, and yourself? Follow along at The Near-Sighted Monkey. Barry has also published a handful of books, all of which I recommend.
What are you thankful for? Express your gratitude in the comments below.
Read Coffee, Sleep, Paper - In Gratitude, Part 1 Read Boundaries, Bracelets, and Biz Coaches - In Gratitude, Part 2 Read It's the Little Things - In Gratitude, Part 4 Read Bonus Gratitude!