One Last Bite of Summer: Heirloom Tomatoes, 2 New Paintings
the closest I'll get to a still life
Welcome to the other side of Labor Day — fall is quickly approaching and I am back in the desert after my 3 week escape. In the craziness leading up to Iceland, it seems I never released two of my favorite paintings.
Sometime in the middle of desert summer, hell froze over. I painted two still lifes. Just kidding — but I did take very literal inspiration from one of the most beautiful and delicious fruits of summer: the heirloom tomato.
HEIRLOOM TOMATO and HEIRLOOM TOMATO WITH BALSAMIC REDUCTION are each a cheeky take on a still life — two paintings that capture the colors, textures, and energy of one of nature’s favorite summer gifts. The two painting series is inspired by my weekly visit to the farmer’s market and its table of ripe heirloom tomatoes, often turned into a bright bruschetta or sliced for a simple summer salad.
The paintings are imagined to be hung in a kitchen or dining space; they parallel the energy of a group meal in late summer, passed appetizers and chilled wine. Each painting would be as at home in a bedroom or living space or anywhere that needs a reminder of the texture and colors of wisps of warm weather.
I could write a love letter to heirloom tomatoes — the breadth of the colors of their skin, the beauty in the transparency and opacity of that color depending on how you slice them, how they look perfect with a bit of balsamic drizzle or perhaps the end of a bright white burrata but instead… I painted a picture. Or two.
Something new, something fun, and something quite straightforward. Both are available for purchase directly on my website, alexmacedastudio.com.
New Work Soon
My website is quite picked over at the moment, but not to worry! I’m working on a new collection of paintings which will be released in October as part of HWY62 Art Tours in Joshua Tree. If you have something specific in mind, we can also work on a commission together.
My Joshua Tree studio will be open to the public on the 2nd and 3rd weekends of this year’s art tours, Oct 15-16 and Oct 22-23. For more information, reach out by replying to this e-mail or stay tuned. Many thanks and many blessings!