Tipping Point
Hello dear reader! Do you have a feeling we have reached a Tipping Point? Good Goddess I hope we have…on so many fronts. Two things before I go much further: 1. what is a tipping point and 2. what is this blog, painting and post all about.
Definition of Tipping Point
Previously, I have written about my painting naming process. This week I “heard” the name as I painted just as I have described in the past. But what does tipping point mean? According to Ye Olde Oxford Dictionary, a tipping point is the point at which a series of small changes or incidents becomes significant enough to cause a larger, more important change.
Let’s just say the current president’s tax payment practices (or lack thereof), Supreme Court nomination, debate with his opponent and his COVID-19 test results are each disturbing incidents in their own way. But combine them into one week and good grief, it seems we have reached a tipping point! Now I’ll describe this blog, post and painting for new subscribers here. Welcome!
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 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?
Kabocha Squash as a Tipping Point
Holy Smokes I am in love with this Japanese Squash! Why? First of all, it’s dark green color is just absolutely elegant. Secondly, each squash is so unique and funky in its own way. But I can promise you, dear reader, each Kabocha is tippy. Don’t get me wrong, these squashes have a distinct top and bottom. But, when you sit your squash on a table, I promise, it will look tippy…no matter what!
I had to get a second squash just so I could chop it in half and see the luscious cadmium orange interior. Oh la lah…it is gorgeous. But I digress and perhaps reveal another painting idea. Stay tuned.
Complimentary Colors
I do confess to having a bit of a ‘thing’ for complimentary colors. What does that mean? Check out the color wheel below. The green’s compliment is red. Right?
So, when I was choosing fruit and vegetables at the Weaver Street Coop (online these days) each week, imagine my delight when I saw these burgundy pears. I have put each of these food “characters” to work here in this oil painting. And, I’m excited to share I have painted several gouache paintings with these three characters, too. Stay tuned for future posts on those.
Then consider that, this time of year, leaves and trees have these same complimentary colors and I will tell you, it makes me think we’re living in heaven on earth. Thank goodness for this colorful distraction.
For Sale
Speaking of distraction, I hope this painting and its luscious complimentary colors takes you away from all the madness, if only for a moment. And, if you envision this painting in a special spot in your home, you can purchase it here for $375.
Thank you
Thank you for reading today dear reader! I hope you enjoyed this complimentary color-filled painting and short blog post today. Perhaps it is a harbinger of better days ahead for us all. In the meantime, if you have a distraction that is helping you navigate these tippy times, please do share in the comments below.
10 Comments
Alexandra
October 8, 2020What a lovely painting! I love how you composed the painting, the treatment of color, light, and form. It is nicely rendered, too. For some reason, the first thing that just popped out at me was the stem of the squash. Well done.
I enjoyed reading your discussion of complementary colors as I also relish contrasts in general and what better way to do that than with a color’s complement?!
Tipping point is also a very apt description of what’s going on these days. I like your choice of title. My distraction is painting, too! I thank god that we’re lucky enough to have this activity in our lives. I guess my other distraction is just stepping foot out of the house and enjoying nature. It immediately places my mind elsewhere.
Julie Holmes
October 9, 2020Hi Alexandra,
Thank you! I am glad that you noticed the composition. I have been thinking about composition quite a bit these days. In particular, the rule of thirds. In other words, dividing the canvas into three even blocks and choosing the place in the blocks where I want the viewers eye to travel. I loved painting that stem and am glad your eye went there first.
Complementary colors are so prevalent right now in the midst of all the fall colors. I agree that the contrast is a delight to work with in a painting. Ahhhh!
You are so right that we are really lucky to have painting to help us navigate this uncertain time. And, like you, I love going out on my morning walks with our dog Chloe. It helps me so much to move and breathe and listen to the jingle of Chloe’s dog tag as she walks along, too. A little slice of paradise.
Thanks so much for reading and your thoughtful observations here!
Beth Dyer Clary
October 8, 2020This is one of my favorites of yours so far, Julie. Those pears are making my mouth water just looking at them. Guess I’ll have to get a kabocha squash (if I can find one) and try it out. Not sure I’ve ever seen or tasted one. It looks soooo deep ark green on the outside that this “cadium orange interior” is intriguing.
I am fortunate to have many distractions that bring me joy. One in particular is spending some time as a grigologist. Cool word I love saying. A grigologist studies crickets. Crickets can be a sign of health in a meadow and as I s l o w l y turn my front lawn into a pollinator meadow I’m learning all kinds of things including that crickets used to be a way to tell the temperature – they don’t “sing” under 40 degrees! Always something to learn and engage the mind, even distract from the madness in the world, right?
Off to buy pears and see about that squash. Beth
Julie Holmes
October 9, 2020Hi Beth,
Thank you and I’m glad this is one of your faves so far! I couldn’t remember the actual names of the pears when I was writing this blog post. But I back at my online order at the coop and they are called Starkrimson pears! They are crisp and really tasty with a slice of your favorite cheese.
I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to find Kabocha squash in your neck o’ the woods especially this time of year. I have never cooked one but it’s supposed to be quite delicious roasted and/or as a soup. The hardest part is cutting through the thick skin on the outside. I hope you find one and cut it open to see the orange excitement inside!
Wow – that’s exciting that you are becoming a grigologist. I have never heard of that word. Wondering how cricket becomes a part of that word? ;-D Anyway, it must be fun to hear the crickets in your front lawn and that certainly sounds like a wonderful, audible distraction from this crazy world we’re in.
Enjoy and thank you so much for reading and commenting here.
Beth Dyer Clary
October 15, 2020Our mutual acquaintance David Yang is fluent in Italian and says the “grig” is how the Italian word for crickets starts as well! That old Latin derivative I guess!
Julie Holmes
October 15, 2020Well I’ll be darned, Beth! Italian is such a beautiful language.
Kristina Philipson
October 8, 2020I must agree with the other posts. The pears are so rich and warm against the cooler squash and background. Beautiful painting!
Am I misperceiving or did you place the squash and pear next to it on a sloping surface? Ready to tip?
Am very much looking forward to smoother sailing in the next few months. Hoping, praying and crossing fingers.
Julie Holmes
October 9, 2020Hi Kristina,
Thank you so much! I love that you noticed the warmer reds against the cooler green of the squash and background.
I actually placed the squash on a flat surface. But this squash, and all the kabocha squashes I’ve gotten, has such an uneven surface on the bottom that it/they almost always look tippy. How crazy is that?
Take care Kristina and I am hoping you/we do find smoother sailing sooooooon! It’s so wonderful to hear from you here and to read your thoughtful comments.
Kathy michaud
October 9, 2020Hi Julie
Those pears are just gorgeous- well done!
Julie Holmes
October 10, 2020Thank you Kathy!