First strokes

Here's one of the paintings I'm working on today -- following the Bob Burridge idea of beginning with small paintings to get warmed up for the big thing. The big thing is a view of a slice of the kitchen. When I'm painting and I don't have a human subject I paint whatever's around -- a bowl of fruit on the kitchen counter for instance. The slice of kitchen, may or may not be working. This is the first rush at the fruit. It's always better for me to paint from the real thing. So I have the photo for reference, and to show you, but I will only use it for a light reference when the light is all gone. The trouble with still life is that the fruit rots, the flowers wilt, the subject won't come back day after day like a person. The tulips in the pot grow -- actually I'm waiting for that. The great thing about still life is that I have to move fairly fast to pick the fruit, and smell the flowers, say "yes" to those brave tulips on this cold day.

More images to come. Check out Bob Burridge at http://www.robertburridge.com/