This is another fruit that is commonly found in New Zealand. It is about the same size as the Kiwi fruit or may be a little smaller. This fruit too is very deceiving from the outside. It is a very dark deep purple with a smooth outer skin until it begins to ripen. At this point the outside almost turns black and the skin starts to shrivel into little divot like holes. Inside is the most delicious sweet succulent and flesh that surrounds the little black seeds. They are separated into two sides in the center. These wonderful little fruit are wonderful in a fruit salad or as a topping on ice cream. It is a "must try" if you ever get an opportunity. This was the final in my series for my daughter and I have to admit I really enjoyed doing them.
They look awesome along her kitchen wall!!
This odd little fellow has come to be known as a Kiwi fruit. I was born and raised in the land of Kiwi's and we never called them Kiwi fruit. Now get this, we knew them as Chinese Gooseberries. Whatever you know them by doesn't really make any difference......they are very deceiving. The outside is an unattractive furry, almost prickly brown. It is hard to imagine that there is anything about this oblong shaped blob that would be attractive to anyone. Yet if you cut this fruit in half when it is just getting soft to the touch and peel back the fur you will find the most delicious brilliant green juicy berry that is as sweet as can be. Added it to any fruit salad and you have the secrete ingredient to make your dish out of this world.I tried to show this contrast in my painting as well as showing the little black seeds in the center. these give an awesome contrast against the green but really don't even show as far as the taste in the fruit. A study in contrasts from the land "down under", unless you live "down under" and then it would be a study in Oriental berries. It's a fun fruit what ever your perspective!
The second fruit I painted in this series was the coconut. I realized right away that my biggest challenge was going to be getting a contrast with all the white of the coconut and the white of the background. But don't you agree.....I think I managed to do it?? The image I was trying to create was that there was grated coconut spilling out of the front of it. Quit the challenge. My daughter was very happy with it.
My daughter asked me to paint her 4 tropical fruit for her kitchen wall at the beginning of the spring. I told her I though I was up to the task. I decided to do them on 8x8x1.5 square canvas and she had requested that the backgrounds just be white. The first one I tried was the papaya and I actually found it a bit of a challenge. I think it was mainly because it was the
first time painting since my medical hiatus. the more i worked with it the better I felt about it and the better it made me feel. The colors just came together so beautifully with the contrast of the very smooth melon and the rough texture of the pithy center and seeds. It all worked Finally!
This is the last of the series of sunflowers that is 6x6x1.5 that I have for sale as a set on eBay. I wanted to vaguely suggest the leaves and sky as background on this flower so that it would cause the beautiful color of red pop put at the viewer.To me i get the feeling that a gentle breeze is blowing on the back of this sunflower causing it to face the sun.
I have really enjoyed doing this series!
This is the third Sunflower in the series or study that I'm doing. I really like the way the background contrasted with flower in this painting. It really helped to pull out the warm "happy" color and rich density of the sunflower. Again on a
6x6x1.5 canvas.
It has been almost a year since the last sunflower was painted. Unfortunately at the end of last summer I had to have 2 knee replacements 6 weeks apart and it has been a very slow recover. But I am now back into the swing of things and eager to get back to painting. This fun little sunflower intrigued me with all its spiky greenery. This is also on a 6x6x1.5.
This is another fruit that is commonly found in New Zealand. It is about the same size as the Kiwi fruit or may be a little smaller. This fruit too is very deceiving from the outside. It is a very dark deep purple with a smooth outer skin until it begins to ripen. At this point the outside almost turns black and the skin starts to shrivel into little divot like holes. Inside is the most delicious sweet succulent and flesh that surrounds the little black seeds. They are separated into two sides in the center. These wonderful little fruit are wonderful in a fruit salad or as a topping on ice cream. It is a "must try" if you ever get an opportunity. This was the final in my series for my daughter and I have to admit I really enjoyed doing them.
