Moldy gourds

I returned to my studio after a long break and found these fall gourds have turned all moldy. Yech!

If you ever wondered why artists paint still life subjects, you probably realize that everyday objects are cheap, available, they don’t fidget like live models, or run away like children and animals. But flowers wilt, candy gets eaten, and produce can get disgusting after a while.

Someone told me that the painter Soutine, known for his still life’s of raw meat, would keep the meat until the stench of rotting meat was unbearable and meanwhile he really was a starving artist because his stomach ailments made it difficult to eat.

And another still life anecdote, Cezanne demanded of his model, ‘you must sit like an apple!’ Which explained why he painted apples so often – more cooperative and uncomplaining.

So work quickly and take pictures. Just think what Cezanne and Soutine would have done with an iPhone!