Poppy flower still life w cheese table kitchen tools and table cloth fabric in purple green red pink

by MendyZ

Title

Poppy flower still life w cheese table kitchen tools and table cloth fabric in purple green red pink

Artist

MendyZ

Medium

Painting - Oil On Canvas

Description

When an art aficionado comes to me with a commission the process is as unique as the individual wanting the painting. At first the story for this art piece was represented by his travels to Italy and the coasts where cheese were made, and it was to be a landscape. But after really discussing what it was that made her want to bring the coastal life back home I began to develop this artwork. The sketch came first, there were many. Once I was able to guide my vision into her soul and watch for her eyes to resonate with desire, I knew I had the right composition and artistic elements that will make her love the art each time she looked at it. I knew that the painting needed to have an ephemeral quality so that it can speak for the myriad of locations she went to.
The cheese represent the food and culture of her life, while the flowers are the flowers of her youth and the memories of her loved one who passed away, leaving her alone in a new world. The poppy flower represents the red flowers of the past and the loss of those who died too young. The cheese table cloth symbolize the cheese and their connection to Italy and her heritage.
In order to achieve the desired effect I started with a canvas of white and added color using a palette knife. I found that the cheese, flowers, and the table were the best ways to create the illusion of depth. It was also important to make the flowers appear as if they were growing in the background, so once the canvas was dry I took an old silk scarf and tied it around the canvas. This allowed the colors to flow through the scarf and create a texture that was as ephemeral as her journey. It created a sense of reality, but still kept it abstract enough that the observer can feel whatever emotion they are feeling and not be distracted by any preconceptions or expectations. The viewer needs to be free to see for themselves and draw out whatever image they desire.
There are certain expectation from art that moves from a financial transaction base into a value to the owner. It is hard to capture, but the philosophical ideas that are represented by the table, cheese, tools, and poppy flower are washed with the purple of royalty. This is because the red flowers were brought back from Italy that were only found by people from the wealthy class. The rich and powerful are the ones who control the poppy flowers and thus control the entire country's culture. Thus, when the flowers bloom, the peasants are given a small portion and the richer part of society gets the rest, which is then used to create a very expensive perfume called Opium, which is traded across the globe.
This is the life morals we need to abide by: the rich get richer, the poor get poorer, and the powerful get even stronger.
In order for you to understand the beauty of this artwork it is necessary to first understand the story behind its creation. For this story is more than just a simple narrative of a painter and his subject; it is the story of all women, and how they are constantly oppressed by society. The purple wash, the nuttiness and earthy tones of the cheeses and the metal tools guide the viewer to best look inside themselves and really determine if they are the ones that can be happy or are they just pretending to be happy? The poppies are the flowers that bloom in her heart of hearts where she has finally been able to let go of her past and live in the present.

Uploaded

July 1st, 2022

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