My wife’s garden has at least 100 strawberry plants in it. They currently are in bloom. My favorite dessert is strawberries and shortcake. I only have this dessert in the summer on account of trying to be sensible. Nonetheless I’ve been anticipating “strawberry season” and making new artwork about it.
Dogberry’s Strawberry Treats – by Clancy – 20 x 16 inches – acrylic on board
I chose a Bassett Hound as my character because of the breeds easy-going relaxed nature. It’s the way I think of the Pacific Northwest summer.
As I’ve been doing for this series of artworks I’ve spoofed two of my own still life paintings in the background of the above painting titled “Dogberry’s Strawberry Treats”. Below are the two still life’s I’ve spoofed:
June’s Treasure – by Clancy – 7 x 5 inches – acrylic and gouache on board
It Must Be June – by Clancy – 5 x 7 inches – acrylic and gouache on board
Since we have so many strawberry plants – and get lots of produce from them – besides sharing strawberries with neighbors and friends and making strawberry shortcake desserts I’m often looking at cookbooks for ideas of what else to do with an abundance of strawberries.
My one-person art exhibit, which opens the first Friday in June at Burnt Bridge Cellars, is book and reading themed. So naturally, for the exhibit, I had to have a painting with cookbook and a Bassett Hound cook consulting a book while working with strawberries.
And yes, in the exhibit I’ll have all three of the above artworks displayed. I’m hoping that sharp-eyed attendees of my exhibit will connect-the-dots so to speak and see the correlation between the paintings, sort of an in-person story-puzzle effect; the ability to walk about (glass of wine in hand) finding the related art pieces and identifying the story-theme for each.
But whether or not people catch any of the correlations between my paintings I’m hoping the exhibit will be as fun for visitors to see as it’s been for me to create.
I just had a small bowl of greenhouse grown strawberries and whip cream for dessert. Our berries won’t be harvested outside until late June and at the rate this spring is not coming, maybe later this year. As always, I enjoy the whimsy of your art, Sue. So human and endearing even though it is a dog.
Lucky you – getting to have strawberries and cream for dessert!!! I’m still waiting – yes, impatiently – for ours to ripen. Probably in June here too…. Thank you for your kind words about the whimsy of my artwork. There’s so much angst (etc) in the world today that a bit of whimsy now and then seems an antidote. Re: being human even though it’s a dog – I’ve been enjoying playing with the author/writer technique of creating a character, perhaps as superficially unlike the writer’s self as possible, and expressing your own hopes/fears etc. via that character. It’s fun to see if I can use “writer techniques” but do them with fine art instead of words-in-a-row. Thanks again for your comments!
Wonderful time of the year!
It is isn’t it Becky??!!!
That basset hound’s face is just delightful. How lucky you are to have a ready supply of strawberries to scoff. I like to eat such things seasonally partly for ecological reasons but mostly because I enjoy anticipating when it becomes time to eat berries or peaches or whatever it might be.
Thanks for your kind comment about my basset hound’s face!! And yes, I’m very lucky to have all the strawberry plants so near to hand – talk about anticipations! Whew! I too love eating seasonally as much as possible. Here in the Pacific Northwest there are many You-Pick farms where you can go and gather your own blueberries etc. Talk about anticipations…
The basset hound reminds me of our Newfoundland, Nelly. Must be those jowls. Nelly loves strawberries too. Have you ever painted a Newf? Since most of them are solid black, it might be kind of a challenge.
Thanks for your comment! I have not painted a Newf yet! Would love to! And yes, painting all black or all white dogs (or cats) is indeed a challenge. But I like a good challenge! Lol!! Over on my commissioned portraits page you can see some of the pet portrait commissions I’ve done in the recent past of all black, or all tan (etc.) dogs and cats – https://sueclancy.com/dog-cat-portraits/
I’ll go check those out!
Have fun! 🙂