Food

As a person who seems to be constantly hungry, I tend to wolf down my food, never taking the time to look closely at it. Well, that is until about a year ago when I started drawing again. I started examining blueberries and their light blue sheen, the pitted texture of the side of a piece of cheesecake, and the way noodles can be submerged in soup, but are still visible. I began noticing colors, textures, reflections and shadows that make a piece of fruit or a grain of rice what it is. Trying to capture the papery quality of garlic skin can be demanding, but I strive to do it. The way light bounces off the pitted texture of a citrus fruit is quite different from the crisp reflection on a smooth unpeeled apple.
Drawing liquids is also something that presents a challenge: trying to capture the rich deep hues of a glass of Merlot; blending colors to attain the slightly ecru tint of fresh cream; trying to mimic the blues, greens and lavender patterns found in a fluted glass of water are all examples of the qualities a container of liquid may present.

I’m always looking for ways to draw or paint the effervescent qualities of any carbonated liquid.
Again, as someone who draws and paints in an impressionistic style, I often aim for the idea of “cheese” the semblance of “chocolate” and the suggestion of a “banana”, rather than a replica. As I mentioned when talking about drawing flowers, in order for me to give the “suggestion” of a subject…here it’s food…I must first study that particular thing thoroughly, to know what it really looks like.
Some of my food drawings are included in the cookbook “Quarantine Cuisine” for the Bergen County Players.