The Rose Family

 “The Rose Family”       8” x 10”         Pastel        $160       © Sharon Lewis

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I had no idea that apples were considered part of the rose family, Rosaceae. In addition to beautiful roses, this family also includes other delicious fruits  such as pears, cherries, peaches, strawberries, and several others. I love discovering new connections between things I love! 

By the way, the gold, sunshiny background I painted behind the apples was actually all the trees in their golden, fall foliage. This is one of the many reasons I wish fall colors lasted until spring.

Happy Weekend!

 

Beauty Contest

  “Beauty Contest”            8” x 10”           Pastel            $75       © Sharon Lewis

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            The trees where I live are almost bare now and I find myself longing for color in the landscape. Fortunately, I have lots of inspiration in my photographs of fall. This painting is based on photos taken during a weekend in the north Georgia mountains during peak apple season. I had a hard time deciding whether to feature the beautiful fall colors in the mountains or the gorgeous colors of the apples, so, I included both.

            Happy Weekend!

 

Harmony

   “Harmony”        8” x 10”       Pastel       $75       © Sharon Lewis
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            Although I’m primarily a landscape painter, I also love painting fruit. I love the rich, saturated colors in some fruits as well as the fun of modeling round, smooth objects so that you perceive a three-dimensional object on a two-dimensional surface. It’s the magic of creating this illusion that I never get tired of.

            Happy Weekend!

 

Food of the Gods

“Food of the Gods”           8” x 10”      Pastel        $75         © Sharon Lewis

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            When contemplating what title to give this painting, I couldn’t help but think of Greek myths involving apples. In particular, I thought of Paris taking on the foolhardy task of choosing the most beautiful goddess and handing a special apple to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. The apple he handed her promised immortality and anyone who ate it would never be hungry, thirsty, or ill. Then there’s the Celtic mythology that associates three apples (symbols of immortality, power, and prosperity) with the very important god, Lugh. So, whatever apples make you think of, I hope you enjoy these very cheerful and colorful apples.

            Happy Weekend!

 

Apples the Color of Fall

“Apples the Color of Fall”          Pastel              8” x 10”               $75             © Sharon Lewis
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As a landscape artist, I so enjoy the long hours of light in the summer but I also love the colors of fall! The reds, oranges, and yellow-greens always seem to be a wonderful solace for the shorter days and longer nights.  I hope wherever you are, you’re enjoying the cool, crisp, and colorful days of autumn.

Happy Weekend!

Autumn Beauties

“Autumn Beauties”    Oil            3” x 3”         $25       © Sharon Lewis
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            I love apples in the fall! I don’t seem to eat them much during the rest of the year but autumn is when they taste so delicious! And on a cold, gray, and rainy day, I found the reds and oranges in these apples so warm and inviting that I had to paint them.....especially before I forgot and ate them all!

            Happy Weekend!

You’re Late!

“You’re Late!”             Pastel            8” x 10”               $75             © Sharon Lewis
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            Sometimes you have one idea for a painting with even a title in mind but your painting has other ideas. I had in mind a title which included the word harvest, but I couldn’t help but think this looks like two apples and one peach and then I pictured the apples kind of scolding the peach for waiting so long to grow and mature. Maybe it’s the news influencing my perspective?

When Apples Party

“When Apples Party”         Pastel             6” x 6”              $40          © Sharon Lewis
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            I wanted to try a slightly different composition for this apple painting. When I finished, I couldn’t help thinking of those parties where too many people gather in one small room….maybe because that’s where the life of the party is holding court….or maybe it’s where you and everyone else has migrated to in order to escape the guy in the other room telling the terrible jokes…..or maybe it’s just a really good party and everyone showed up. Whatever the explanation, I think these apples are having a great time!

            Happy Almost Weekend!

Autumn Heralds

“Autumn Heralds”           Pastel             8” x 10”       $75    © Sharon Lewis
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             We’ve been having swamp-like weather in the Atlanta area…very warm temperatures and air so humid it feels like you’re breathing soup. So, as I find myself longing for cooler, drier, if no less sunny, days, I’ve been looking for signs of fall. I’ve noticed that a few of the trees have started to change color, some have leaves already falling, and apples of all different colors and sizes are in the markets. These three apples proclaim to me that maybe, just maybe, fall is here.

            Hoping you’re enjoying the best of fall weather!

Mellow Fruitfulness

“Mellow Fruitfulness”        Pastel             8.5” x 11”       $90    © Sharon Lewis
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            I’ve borrowed my title from a poem by John Keats, called “To Autumn.” I painted these apples just hanging out together, basking in the warm sunlight with the bright colors of autumn  on their surface as well as in the background.  If you’re interested in reading the full poem by Keats, click here.

            Happy Weekend!

Harvest

“Harvest”              Pastel              9” x 12”             $100             © Sharon Lewis
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            This is the companion painting to last week’s apple painting. I photographed these apples on a railing up in the mountains with a gorgeous southern sugar maple tree behind them. These trees turn bright yellow in the fall and this beautiful tree inspired me to paint the apples with a backdrop of a warm, cheerful, golden sky.  

           Happy Weekend!

  

Finding Comfort

“Finding Comfort”      Pastel       9” x 12”       $100   © Sharon Lewis
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I’m finding comfort lately in focusing on the things that have not changed since the election on  Tuesday. I still have my wonderful family and friends, my students who give me hope every day that our future will be bright when they’re in charge, and the signs of fall all around me. We found these colorful apples on our way up to the north Georgia mountains and I couldn’t wait to paint them!

May you find comfort this weekend in the company of good friends and family, and in the delightful colors of autumn!