Friday, January 15, 2010

Moses Botkin Monthly Challenge

This month's challenge, an apple, a spoon and something glass, was certainly a challenge for me. I can't set up a still life. I really do think that setting up such requires talent - sort of like decorating maybe. Getting the right grouping, the lighting, the backdrop. Its creating a scene... I just want to get to the painting!

So, I took the concept literally and painted the elements separately. I wanted to zoom in really close and almost abstract them - but that only worked on the glass - which is my favorite hot cocoa mug. The spoon gave me trouble and wouldn't stay upright (no surprise)...so I taped it to the board in front of me. So what you have there is sort of an impressionistic trompe l'oeil. LOL

This group continues to be so fun. I am glad to do it each month and glad to be a part of it. I would encourage others to get together, online or locally, to see how you each interpret a theme. It really makes me think and gets me out of my routine.

Enjoy our efforts below!


Apple, Spoon and Glass
8x10 oil on paper
© 2010 Robin Cheers





Aunt Bea's Morning Glories
5x5 oil on panel


Baked Apple Reflection
10x8 oil on panel
© 2010 Vicki Ross



Kitchen Lovelies
7x5 oil on hardboard
© 2010 Diana Moses Botkin




Wooden Spoon and Friends
10x10 oil on canvas
© 2010 Suzanne Berry 




Spoon Bridge
6x6 oil on board
© 2010 Michael Naples

7 comments:

Kate Merriman said...

I love your approach Robin! I think it reflects your wonderful sense of fun and your light spirit. The taped spoon is just priceless. I may need to acquire this piece to start my "Robin spoon" collection.

Diana Moses Botkin said...

I learn so much doing these monthly challenges. It's always instructive to me to see how everyone else interpreted the subject.

Your unique studies of all three make a very interesting painting. I like this approach. They remind me of windows in a building; peeks into the lives of different apartment dwellers.

Mary Sheehan Winn said...

I particularly like your 'take' on this. Beautiful color harmony and composition.
All of the entries are smashing.

Marian MacKerer said...

I love your approach also! Don't sell yourself short. It is just as balanced as any still life composition needs to be. Your paint strokes are full of energy and keeps your eyes moving. I love to look at all of the different approaches of this group.

mary said...

I love your work and reading your blog. Your thoughts and openness are helpful and your paintings inspiring. And...I really like what you've done for this challenge.

lunardancer said...

The crisp photorealistic quality of your painting is distinct. My eyes are particularly drawn to your glass and the wooden container right next to it. The trouble with taking the elements of a still life painting from different sources is you miss out on the drama and the overall x-factor of the composition. But you pulled it off just as beautifully.

Kaylyn Munro said...

I know this is an old post, but I have to say I've thought about your triptych painting a lot since I saw it last month. A lot of these one-day still lives make great statements about light, color, form with a clarity that is sometimes lost in larger, more involved painting. However, this painting of yours does something else. Instead of being a clever statement, it is the beginning of a story that is very intriguing. As I said, it has lingered in my head longer than most that I've seen.

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