Celebrations are often centered around food. Time with family is often centered around food. It is precisely that reason why I paint food - to celebrate special times with family and friends. And the wide variety of food from which to choose makes it simply fun to paint.
Every year in my elementary art classroom, I teach my first-grade students about the “Dessert Artist,” Wayne Thiebaud. The students love the thick paint, bright colors, and yummy variety of his works. It is a great way to teach them about the art elements of line, color, shape, and texture.
They are fascinated!
Mr. Thiebaud is an American artist who turned 101 earlier this month! “That is a lot of cake!” as I tell my students. Again, they are fascinated! Mr. Thiebaud, who currently lives in Sacramento, California, was a commercial artist, US Veteran, and later a teacher. All the while, he enjoyed painting landscapes, figurative compositions as well as food.
In revising lessons for this academic year, I was researching Thiebaud, once again. I located an interview asking him why he paints food. I was pleasantly surprised to read that he considered his paintings as “visual memories of the food at childhood gatherings with family.”
In discovering this, an artist who paints food may feel deflated by the thought, “that has been done already.” On the contrary, I feel invigorated that I humbly share a similar passion with an artist as impactful as Wayne Thiebaud. Another fun fact that I share with my students.
This December, I have a new collection titled “Sweet Celebrations.” This collection shares how the sweetness of the holiday season, and other moments all year round, are connected to special moments with loved ones. Sweet Celebrations is available through the 25 Days of Minis; an online curated collection featuring small works of 54 professional artists, the perfect size for gifting and collecting. The gallery opens on December 1st, so I invite you to register at www.25Daysofminis.com to be the first to know!
As we begin this holiday season, I wish you wonderful moments of love and happiness with family and friends. Enjoy each celebration!
Oh and...Happy Birthday, Mr. Thiebaud!
Christa
Email: ChristaAmosArt@gmail.com Instagram: @christa.amos.art Facebook: Christa Amos Studio
This is a sneak peak of a piece from "Sweet Celebrations." To see it in full color, visit www.25DaysofMinis.com starting December 1 to check it out!
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