Calla Lily

“Three Lavender Callas” © Jill Rosoff 2007

While reviewing the inventory chosen by curator Lynle Ellis for my upcoming show at her gallery Glimpse in San Diego, I found some pieces I’d not yet shown here, so they’ll be showing up here now and again.  

I try to paint flowers when they come in season, and sometimes the window of time is so short, I get maybe one done and poof!  they’re gone.  So it is with callas.  I found these lavender callas at Trader Joe’s one day.  I couldn’t believe the color.  As much as I love the creamy white ones my neighbor grows and I enjoy as I pass by them, these were pretty smashing, and I love lavender.  The issue became how best to articulate that gorgeous single spiral of the one glorious petal as it opens up and unveil the stamen inside.  When I finished this one I realized how much it felt like an ode to Georgia O’Keefe’s work, looking so monumental in this small format.  

Make hay! The sun is shining!

Projects currently on the drawing board

We’re all living through a difficult time.  Our economy has slowed to a snails’ pace.  People’s spirits are flagging.  There’s a great worry out there about how to get things moving. Cherished people in our lives were lost 10 years ago.  Our mending is slow- going, both inwardly and outwardly.

I’m proposing an idea, I propose that everyone do one small thing, one small, self-healing, expressive gesture, that will also stimulate the economy:  buy yourself something. Or buy a friend a gift for no other reason than they’re your friend. Have it be a random act of kindness.  It doesn’t have to be large, but it does have to be something that will make you feel good.  And it’s one way of recognition of the 10^th anniversary of the September 11^th catastrophe.   What would it be to give yourself one small lift to your spirits?

If you can, give yourself a little bit of ‘happy’.  Be selfless and a little selfish at the same time.  By buying something that you want for yourself (but have maybe been holding off on) you will also give the person you’re buying it from a little lift by giving them a little business.  And we all know that a little bit can go a long way. 

Celebrate the people and the strong, innovative nation that we are, and what we can stand for:  life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  And a more stable economy. We can overcome.  We can do more than simply endure. 

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For the month of September all of the paintings that are for sale on this blog I will discount 10% off the published price.  And I’ll pay the shipping to get it to you (in the U.S. only), or to whomever you want it sent to.  Use the Comment link below to contact me with questions, or about the piece you’d like to get!

Thanks!

Delicate Fuschias

“First Fuschias” ©Jill Rosoff 2011,  5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″,  $75.00

On a recent sojourn to San Diego I stopped at a couple of nurseries to take a look at what is being grown lately.  Northern San Diego County is large flower growing region, with nurseries that specialize in various flowers: hibiscus farms, begonia farms, orchid greenhouses and more.  Its all very tempting, and of course very inspiring for me.  Oh how I wish I had a larger garden!  On this trip I stopped in at a begonia nursery where I also found some amazing fuschia plants.  They always look like little ballerinas on pointe to me.  So I’ve been painting fuschias, again.  I haven’t painted them in years!  

This is the first painting of this series, a simple study of them without any specific environment. It was specifically a study to learn about them, how I want to paint them.  I am working on more now!

Blueberries

“Blueberries I” ©Jill Rosoff 2011, 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″,  SOLD

It’s always a great moment when I find something new I want to paint.  A few months ago it was a nasturtium that one of my workshop students brought in to paint.  See the April 21st posting.  This new subject matter, blueberries, started manifesting itself earlier this year.

There was actually a trio of attention-grabbers that all occurred in April.  First, I began noticing photos of blueberries in magazines and online.  You know when you buy a new car and you begin to see scads of them on the road?  Like that.  hmmm.  It must be blueberry season!

Next, there was a posting on Facebook that April 28th was National Blueberry Pie Day.  Whoever got that holiday up and running was genius.  Of all the lovely things to celebrate.  Pres. Reagan had the third Sunday in July declared National Ice Cream Day — did you all celebrate that??  My grandmother loved to cook for her family, and though her enthusiasm wasn’t always matched with success, she did make great pies.  Just three flavors, though, and one of them was her ‘Blubry’ pie.

The third thing that happened was a call from someone to collaborate on a project, and one of the subjects they were interested was blueberries.

Common wisdom says that things come in threes.  Best not to ignore it.  And I didn’t, though this painting took its sweet time coming to fruition.  Four months down the road, here it is.