Free Run

Free Run, 36x12 oil

I don't usually get my eggs fresh from a farm, but I do try to buy 'free run' eggs at the grocery store.  A few months back I picked up a dozen eggs from a local farmer.  The eggs were extremely fresh and the shells were a lot tougher to crack than the store bought ones.   I think I might look into buying my eggs from the farmer's market, when it starts up for this year's season.

Bee's Breakfast ` Sold

Bee's Breakfast, 24x24 oil

The long weekend in May has come and gone, which in this area of the world means that summer has officially arrived!  The calendar may not say it but the weather certainly does.

I've noticed that one of the first flowers to bloom are the dandelions.   A beautiful sight in mid spring when there are still no leaves on the trees, and no other colour around except for their bright yellow flowers.  A comforting sight, letting us know warm weather is on it's way. 

  

Delicious - Sold

Delicious, 12x12 oil

Besides being fun, painting fruit and vegetables in their most natural form has given me such an appreciation for all of their amazing colours and textures; and then I get to eat them afterwards! 

Roots - Sold

Roots, 48x24 oil

There has been so many changes to the food that we consume every day compared to what our ancestors used to eat.  I believe part of the goal was to make hardier plants that will withstand pests (by covering our food with poison), or processing foods to last longer on the shelf (to the point of removing all of the nutrient value).  The need to eat whole natural foods is a basic human necessity that seems to have been forgotten by the large corporations.  I am glad to see that there is a growing trend, at least here in Ontario, for people to purchase organically grown food from small family farms.

Sweet - Sold

Sweet, 12x12 oil

I worked on this painting as a demonstration at the Art Gallery of Burlington's Kaleidoscope Show a couple of weekends ago, but just finished it today.  I've spent quite a bit of time getting my 'stuff' ready for taxes.  I don't know what happens between this time of year and tax time, but somehow papers, receipts, and all those important things seem to disappear.  In the end I did find everything I needed, but I would have rather been painting!