“Abundant Harvest” 36″ x 48″ oil and metal leaf on canvas – $4,500
This time of year always brings memories of abundant harvest and my thoughts turn to wonderful grapes, not only for their delicious taste, but especially for the glorious vine inspiration for my paintings.
I live in Oregon’s wine country and am surrounded by vineyards, but I was never tempted to paint the rows of vines even though looking at them gave me pleasure. When I visited a private garden with a spectacular grapevine and ripening grapes I was captivated by the sight of the clusters of grapes amid a variety of leaves in all sizes and colors, entangled with twisted vines hanging down. The possibilities of all of the different elements in a composition immediately excited me to paint them and I’ve completed several paintings since. I have even added a separate category of “Wine Country” to my website with their images.
A local test garden provided even more inspiration for me because of the different varieties of grapes and the older trunks and twisted branches with shaggy barks. I haven’t found any other subject that provides so many possibilities of shapes and colors to inspire me. Introducing the metal leaf with both cut-out leaves and the sun completed the paintings to my satisfaction.
All of these paintings have appeared in my Pomegranate calendars and “Shimmering Vines” is also printed as a notecard. “Abundant Harvest” is currently at the Portland Art Museum’s Rental/Sales Gallery.
“Shimmering September” 36″ x 48″ oil and metal leaf on canvas – $4,700
“Shimmering Vines” 36″ x 48″ oil and metal leaf on canvas – $4,700
“Sun Ripened” 36″ x 48″ oil and metal leaf on canvas – SOLD
http:www.pomegranate.com/joan-metcalf.htm