My series focuses on the different colorful and textural qualities of various types of produce conveyed through chalk pastel. I explored both mark-making and layering of optically blended color to emphasize the different tactile surfaces of fruits and vegetables. Despite the challenge of being colorblind, I used complementary colors and temperature to convey a sense of depth, atmosphere, and light quality surrounding the subjects.
The series begins with my photographs from a Roman produce market. The complexity of color and texture intrigues me, so I reference them for my initial 5 pieces. Combining references with observed objects, I zoom into my images to abstract the compositions and capture photorealistic, tactile surfaces. The first 3 works are close-ups of texture of several objects. I use stippling to render the unique surfaces and the patterns created by light. In later pieces, I expanded the field of vision to include more subjects to allow compositional movement throughout each piece. 4 and 5 study the glossy, graphic nature of light shining off of smoother, waxier surfaces. With 5, I enhance the complexity of the reflections by using many colors rather than just white to portray light. In 6, 7, and 8, I explore glistening interiors of sliced fruit, specifically the abstraction of light caused by juice on surfaces. 9 accentuates depth by capturing both clarity and brilliance of the foremost fruits and the muted coloring of those fading away into darkness. In 10, 11, and 12, using my camera to create a shallow depth of field, I manipulate the drawings to create the illusion of greater depth through focus. This effect is reached by fine detail for clarity, a more gestural approach for hazier subjects, and a shift in temperature between the two.
The series begins with my photographs from a Roman produce market. The complexity of color and texture intrigues me, so I reference them for my initial 5 pieces. Combining references with observed objects, I zoom into my images to abstract the compositions and capture photorealistic, tactile surfaces. The first 3 works are close-ups of texture of several objects. I use stippling to render the unique surfaces and the patterns created by light. In later pieces, I expanded the field of vision to include more subjects to allow compositional movement throughout each piece. 4 and 5 study the glossy, graphic nature of light shining off of smoother, waxier surfaces. With 5, I enhance the complexity of the reflections by using many colors rather than just white to portray light. In 6, 7, and 8, I explore glistening interiors of sliced fruit, specifically the abstraction of light caused by juice on surfaces. 9 accentuates depth by capturing both clarity and brilliance of the foremost fruits and the muted coloring of those fading away into darkness. In 10, 11, and 12, using my camera to create a shallow depth of field, I manipulate the drawings to create the illusion of greater depth through focus. This effect is reached by fine detail for clarity, a more gestural approach for hazier subjects, and a shift in temperature between the two.