Sunday, December 11, 2011

Fruits

I have not been very good about scanning my doodles and drawings and getting them posted lately.  In the hustle and bustle of getting ready for the holidays, dealing with some family health issues, readying a property for rental and finishing out the school year with my daughter and the work year for my sweetie and I~ I have completely let my bloggy world go.  Fortunately, I have continued to doodle and draw into the evenings as a way to keep my sanity in the midst of the craziness. 

I love fruit-- almost all kinds of fruit.  I love the sweet, natural, juiciness of it. I love how it can be used as a snack on the go or as part of a meal.  I love that different kinds of fruit are evocative of the different seasons.  What kind of July 4th would it be without watermelon?  What would a springtime field trip be without the first cherries of the season?  Peaches, one of my favorites, although sadly they often signify the end of my beloved summer.   Crisp apples-- in all their wonderful varieties-- are delicious in so many ways and, while I eat them year round, they always seem particular apt during that first crisp, coolness of fall.  The cloying sweet mushiness of bananas makes them impossible for me to eat on their own, but 1/2 of one cut up is the perfect addition to a bowl of cereal.  Strawberries, ahh strawberies--  whether covered in chocolate, as part of a shortcake or dipped in champagne-- they are a truly decadent delight.

But there's something to be said for the pear.  It's not a pretty fruit.  Kind of lopsided and lumpy.  If you want to really put a dagger through the heart of  woman, tell her she's pear-shaped!  They tend to be most popular in the cold months (not my favorite time of year).  All in all, not all that appealing sounding.  This week, we bought our first pears of the season.  They were rock hard and I worried that they would end up sitting in the fruit bowl, ripening without our taking notice until, finally brown and mushy, we'd end up tossing them. 

Yesterday, I took one out and brought it to my drawing area.   I started sketching it and noticed it wasn't just green or just yellow.  It was both, in different places and depending on how it caught the light.  Along the bottom, there was a beautiful tinge of pinkish red.  The brown stem and a few small brown imperfections gave it some character.  Despite it lopsided wonkiness, it stood on its own.  When placed on its side, its bumpiness and imperfect planes helped it to stay in place.  After some very quick and rudimentary sketching, I pulled out my watercolors to try to capture some of its color.  When all was said and done, I'm not sure that I captured that pear very well at all. 



What I do know is that after drawing and painting for about ten minutes,  I took a bite.  The pear's sweet graininess was more delicious than I'd remembered.  With each bite, it seemed to get juicier.  It was a filling snack and provided me with the energy I needed to get through the rest of the afternoon.  I'm not sure I'll draw the rest of those pears before eating them, but I am appreciative of how much I noticed about them when I really took the time to look at and taste them!

Linking up with Sophia's Sunday Sketches.  If you have a few moments, take some time and look at what the other linkers have created this week. It will be worth your while!

Hope everyone has a great week!

20 comments:

  1. These pears are so well drawn and painted. Also a lovely intro to your drawing and then eating them.

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  2. lovely tribute to fruit and beautiful pear painting!

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  3. Great sketches and lovely line and tone work... Pears are my favourite winter fruit and I draw them regularly in June and July... at the moment it is all about the mangoes and lychees here because we had almost none last year after a very soggy and flooded summer... so we are all like mango monsters at the moment... fruit is one of my favourite things to draw so I need to get to drawing.... but I keep eating them before I get into the studio!!!

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  4. OOh I can taste them, feel that texture... yum!

    I have to share ... I spotted your pinterest link and got lost FOREVER before I remembered what I was supposed to be doing! I love Pinterest!

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  5. Love those green gold candle lit globes - that was my water colour subject last i did one - they are great subjects, so individual in their character!

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  6. wonderful pears. i ate one the other day and it was so sweet, i must buy more!

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  7. Gorgeous work..fabulous..I love it..and love pears..so beautiful!
    Victoria

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  8. I am a "fruit nut" too (am eating an apple as I write!) and can relate to your descriptions. The watercolor pears appeal to my senses and ask to be eaten. I like the way you included the label.......at first, I thought you stuck it on the painting ;)

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  9. yum! your pears are making me hungry! great sketch!

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  10. Gorgeous pears, they all look yummy to me! Love pears(of course!) but wish you didn't have to watch so closely for "the moment". Glad you find time to sketch!

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  11. Your pears are FAB, Molly. Wow! There's no WAY I could do something that well. :) Thanks for joining us again. Hugs

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  12. This is fabulous! Oh how I WISH I could paint fruit...

    Great job.

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  13. Makes me want to eat a pear....yummy!

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  14. Great sketches! And after reading your delicious description, I'm craving a pear.

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  15. Well done ! Love the sketch! ~ Happy Hoiidays and thanks for linking up to my 'blog hop' ~A Creative Harbor ~ Magical Monday ~ namaste, Carol ^_^

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  16. you must come ring your christmas bell
    http://georgie-hornpuddinnpie.blogspot.com/2011/12/tis-season-for-mummies.html

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  17. Beautiful and realistic pears, Molly ! Wish you a Happy New Year without anymore health issues in your family ...

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