Harvest For The World

I named this painting “Harvest for the World” but I could have named it so many other things. Like what? Well, “Twisted 2020” for the amazing twisted stem on the pumpkin and for the completely twisted experience of this pandemic-ridden and overwhelming year. But I decided to lean into the goodness of the Isley Brother’s amazing song from 1976 instead. I’ll share more about why but first here’s information for new subscribers (welcome!) to this blog.

Favorite Things

In early 2020, I pledged to paint a painting each week and blog about it. The name of this weekly series of paintings is Favorite Things. Why? Well, because I choose objects, typically food, that I love to eat. But, I paint it first and then, if it’s still edible, I’ll eat it! This means each week I write about a painting and the process. You are welcome to follow along as I share the ups and downs of this studio and painting life I lead. To do so, simply sign up here. You’ll receive a lively and colorful blog post each week and get a first look at my latest painting or drawing. Sometimes I’ll share a painting by a contemporary artist or an artist in history, too. Let’s move onward to this week’s painting, shall we?

Pumpkin and Harvest Road Map

There are so many things I want to share about this painting with you today. Here goes. First, why I love to paint pumpkins. And, a few technical notes for painting geeks out there (you know who you are) and then the music that inspired this painting.

Reh roh I don’t have a super clear answer as to why I love painting pumpkins but I have been painting them every fall for the last three years at least. And, I don’t mind whether the pumpkin painting is a teeny white pumpkin. Or if it’s a pretty darned good size, like the one I painted and am sharing with you today.

As far as the painting process is concerned I decided to take a different approach with this oil painting. Don’t tell anyone but I started working on this painting on October 9th, over a month ago. I decided to let the painting tell me when it’s done instead of the clock. This has been a delight to me. Why?

Taking Time

The main reason is I get to focus on seeing how I want the light to appear in the painting. It’s very different in the morning in the studio. But the morning light helps me see the structure and the values more clearly than in the afternoon. I really enjoyed taking my time building and building the layers of paint in this painting.

Once the painting has progressed along I absolutely love the phase called “couching.” In school, we would work on a portrait for weeks and then zoom in to work on the sitter’s eye in the portrait for an entire day. The thinking is that the painter is working on the finer details of an important focal point in a portrait, the eye, by creating a wet bed of paint. Hence the French word “Couche” meaning “layer” in English.

Child of the 70s Factoid

As the teacher said the word “Couche” (pronounced “coushe” or “coo-shay”) my mind left the classroom and cued up Patti Labelle belting out Lady Marmalade (the original version people!) Let’s just say it’s a fantastic and fun song that includes “couchez” (a spicier version of couche). I won’t get any saucier than that but laying a couche in painting takes time and patience. But once there, it is a magical and mystical experience. OK I lied sometimes it isn’t a magical and mystical experience…like everything in life right? But, when it is magical and mystical…shazam!

Bottom Line

I kept looking at the stem on that pumpkin and could not wait to couche that thing. In theory, a painter sets out to couch a part of a painting, spends how ever many hours doing so and then moves on. Let’s just say I’m still in the phase where the more I zoom in to couche, the more I see. Therefore, I took my time couching the stem here, too.

There are so many reasons why I enjoy the couching phase including that I can use teeny tiny brushes to put down simple strokes to show the light and more.

But Why Harvest for the World

OK that’s enough painter geek speak. Why did I want to name this painting “Harvest for the World? So there are a gazillion reasons why. First, there are so many people hurting for food now. It appalls me that this is so. In fact, it appalls and overwhelms at the same time.

This is why I love the Isley Brother’s song from 1976. The lyrics and their meaning are absolutely timeless. Let’s cue up the song so you can listen if you’d like. For full audience participation, you can clap your hands to a rhythm of 1 1-2, 1 1-2, 1 1-2.

Check out some of the lyrics:

Love’s bountiful in us, tarnished by our greed
When will there be a harvest for the world

A nation planted, so concerned with gain
As the seasons come and go, greater grows the pain
And far too many feelin’ the strain
When will there be a harvest for the world

Gather every man, gather every woman
Celebrate your lives, give thanks for your children
Gather everyone, gather all together
Overlooking none, hopin’ life gets better for the world

Dress me up for battle, when all I want is peace
Those of us who pay the price, come home with the least
Nation after nation, turning into beast
When will there be a harvest for the world?

How to Help

I confess there are times when I think about the number of people struggling and I feel practically helpless. But then I realize I need to do what I can. And, you can do what you can. If each of us just does what we can, I know we will lift each other up.

As for concrete steps to help with the ‘harvest’ here, we are financially committed to support our local food bank each month. And, I am donating 10% of all painting sales to the Food Bank of North Carolina. That means if you love this painting and decide to purchase it for $375, you can do so here. And, I will gladly donate 10% of the purchase price to the Food Bank, too.

How about You

How are you doing? Are you feeling overwhelmed? What is helping you feel as if you are contributing in some way to help? I would love to hear from you. Maybe we will all be able to join in a world wide chorus of love and healing? If and when that does happen, I would choose Stevie Wonder’s Ode to Humanity (also entitled “As”) as the theme song. Another amazing song from 1975, cue that up here and know that I’ll be loving you always.

“Just as time knew to move on since the beginning
And the seasons know exactly when to change
Just as kindness knows no shame
Know through all your joy and pain
That I’ll be loving you always”

Dedicated to my brother, Jim Dyer, RIP 11-13-20 and my amazing sistas