Back in September, as my garden overflowed with beautiful still life possibilities, I took a few days to set up and photograph some unusual groupings, for future inspiration and reference. This was drawn from one of my favorite creations from that project. And, yes, I consider the gathering of objects and placing them together in various ways a creation in its own right. It's amazing how much trial and error, arranging and rearranging, tweaking and nudging, and toting things from place to place it takes to come up with a good still life composition!
I wanted to use the bright peppers and large, almost ripe, heirloom tomato in this modern art-glass bowl, with a snip of turning Virginia creeper vine as a "garnish" of sorts, over the top. I set it all up on vintage linen tablecloths... a white, a turquoise, and a swirly print, then on an old wooden chair with peeling paint, then a granite step. I tried it in the garden, among the growing plants, on a huge tree stump, and, finally, right on the ground in a mossy area strewn with maple seeds and dry leaves. I found it enchanting. Really. Like fairyland enchanting. Once I saw how the dappled light worked its magic with the glass and the shadows and the cushiony green carpet, I was powerless to do anything but draw this lovely little moment in time. That is how this particular still life came to be. And after many, many hours of work, we all lived happily ever after. The End
