Tulips and Cranberries (almost done)
Tulips remind me of springtime. And springtime reminds me of Easter. Easter reminds me of food.
And food reminds me that I saw my first freegan this week.
I’d heard of freegans, but had never actually seen one. What’s a freegan? It’s a person who is not homeless, yet chooses to “dumpster dive” or go through garbage for food. The guy I saw was bending over and going through big black garbage bags. He pulled out a bunch of bananas and put them in one of the three recyclable bags he was carrying. You know those bags that every store now sells so you can use them instead of getting plastic bags. But then every time you go to the store you forget to bring the cloth bag and end up buying another one until you have more cloth bags than you know what to do with? Yeah, those bags. He had 3 of them. Probably all from Whole Foods. (a/k/a Whole Paycheck.)
Anyway, this guy seemed like he was getting quite a bit of food out of the garbage bags. At least that’s what I thought until he moved to the dumpster in front of Key Food (a local grocery store). There was a veritable BONANZA of food. There were some tossed cartons of tomatoes that I actually had my eye on. Ok, not really, but those tomatoes did look pretty good in the dark. I thought it odd that while the freegan was piling his bags with food, the real homeless guy who sits in front of Key Food and asks for change had his back to the dumpster and had no idea what was going on behind him. The whole scene was a bit surreal.
I almost finished Tulips and Cranberries but wanted to post it now since next weekend is Easter and this week will be busy at work. I’ve been TRYING to not overwork paintings and to leave more white of the paper for highlights. I read somewhere that it’s better not to finish a painting then to finish it and take the chance of overworking it. So here it is, not quite finished. I will go back and indicate the bottoms of the tulips and the edge of the vase but other than that, it’s done.
Happy Passover to all my friends who celebrate, Happy Easter to the rest of my friends and family. Happy Spring to everyone.
58 comments
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March 28, 2010 at 9:16 pm
Alex Zonis
These are so lovely, Carol! I love the whole cool palette you got going there. And speaking about “whole” – the “Whole Paycheck” Foods made me spit out my tea (sorry for the visual!) The stories in your posts are wonderfully entertaining, and this one is no exception. Thank you for the smile and holiday greetings! Happy holiday and happy Spring to you too!
March 28, 2010 at 9:22 pm
CarolKing
It was a stretch for me, going with a cool palette, but I liked it. I laughed at your comment about spitting out your tea. We have a Whole Foods across the street from my office, good food but expensive, ergo, the nickname.
Happy Passover.
March 28, 2010 at 9:31 pm
carrington
Wonderful. Especially like the water. and the base of the vase.
Love the story about the bags…my son (in NYC) who works with the homeless says they all have those bags. They don’t break. have a good holiday weekend. I will be cooking for the masses!!!!
March 28, 2010 at 10:45 pm
CarolKing
I like the vase better than the tulips! But I stopped in time, I think. Enjoy your cooking and Happy Easter.
March 28, 2010 at 9:47 pm
lesliepaints
You rock with still life, Carol! I like it the way it is. It looks as if you painted it effortlessly. The wet-in-wet and loose strokes combined with some of the pencil drawing showing through. Homeresque!
Have a couple that peruses the neighborhood, here, with truck and trailer on trash night picking through things people put in the trash. Not food, though…… Usually old patio chairs and secondhand furniture and bikes that have seen better days.
March 28, 2010 at 10:46 pm
CarolKing
Homer-esque! 🙂
My neighborhood is like a swap meet. Don’t want something? Put it on the stoop and someone will come by and pick it up. It’s pretty convenient. But I don’t think I would pick up uneaten food that was thrown out.
March 28, 2010 at 9:54 pm
Charlie
Talk about surreal—–I was there and I like your take on this much more than my memory of it. Though I agree with the concept of freegan, I prefer to deal with the whole ‘wasted food’ issue by eating everything I possibly can wrap my mouth around and not by dumpster diving. I may be wrong, but in my unsanitized version of this night, my dogs may have peed on some of those bagels FreeganMan was about to recycle.
March 28, 2010 at 10:47 pm
CarolKing
Hmmm, you may be right about the dogs.
March 28, 2010 at 10:01 pm
Kung
Very nice! I am really impressed with how you go week in and week out to the studio and create such wonderful works of art. On top of all that, you faithfully man this blog where we can toss in our
two cents. I hope you know that I look forward to your posting every week. Though I get too tired sometimes to comment….
I used to see homeless folks all the time in Manhattan but have seen none in Queens (LIC). Maybe there is just not enough foot-traffic to make it worth the effort.
Madonna used to be a freegan when she first came to NYC. She ate out of McD’s dumpsters and look at her now… she hardly eats any more.
Please wish Judy a nice Passover for me when you go for Seder tomorrow night.
March 28, 2010 at 10:49 pm
CarolKing
Madonna was a freegan? You’re right, now look at her. Skeletal and scary.
Enjoy Sylvia’s Seder. Happy Easter. (Hope you get lots of dark chocolate.)
March 29, 2010 at 12:27 am
AKLizzy
my week was so boring by comparison!
Lovely painting!!
March 29, 2010 at 9:39 am
CarolKing
How can your life be boring with those two adorable little girls!
March 29, 2010 at 1:03 am
blissbait
Gorgeous! Joy busting out! Thank You and Namaste. 🙂
March 29, 2010 at 9:39 am
CarolKing
Bliss, thank you and thanks for stopping by.
March 29, 2010 at 2:54 am
Camilla
We toss too much food! Seriously, I do too, and it’s horrible. My routines on eating leftovers is none existing. And the worst is, I might pass it on to my son. (Being ashamed of myself…)
Anyways, I think stores should be allowed to give away food they don’t wish to sell because it’s too old. When I worked in a gas station once, we had to toss the food that got old. The manager said that they didn’t trust the employees, and that if we didn’t toss the food, it might end up with us lying saying that perfectly good food was bad, just to eat for free. Not wonder things go wrong in this world.. Show a little trust, guys! I felt so bad tossing all that food…
I think the painting looks really good like that. It didn’t cross my mind that it wasn’t finished. Tulips are “spring-flowers” 😀
March 29, 2010 at 9:38 am
CarolKing
Camilla, you know I thought of you when I was writing this because of your challenge last year.
March 29, 2010 at 6:44 am
Alina
Wooooow.
J’adore!
This painting is my favorit one,Carol!
The colors are magnificent!
I love flowers too! 🙂
You’ve touch my heart with this beauty!
Thank you a lot,my dear friend!
Enjoy the moment! 😉
March 29, 2010 at 9:37 am
CarolKing
Alina, you are always so sweet with your comments. They make me smile. Thank you very much.
March 29, 2010 at 4:03 pm
Alina
I thank you,Carol!
🙂
March 29, 2010 at 9:48 am
Alice
I LOVE this painting! It is gorgeous! “Finish” it if you must, but I know you will not overwork it. (My watercolor teachers always said the secret to successful watercolor paintings is knowing when to stop. Something I was unable to do which is why I suck at watercolor.)
March 29, 2010 at 11:55 am
Carol King
Absolutely the secret to watercolor is knowing when to stop. I am FINALLY beginning to learn that.
March 29, 2010 at 10:12 am
Bonnie Luria
Unfinished paintings are often the freshest. Like this one.
I love the purity of shapes and color and lack of fussiness.
I look at and use your beautiful fruit bowl every day as it sits on my counter.
The amount of food that goes wasted is really criminal, while people are eating out of garbage cans and some not even that lucky.
March 29, 2010 at 11:56 am
Carol King
BonBon,
I will have to do more “unfinished” paintings to finally get the hang of it.
And I agree it’s criminal how much food we waste when so many are starving all over the world.
March 29, 2010 at 10:25 am
Cathyann Burgess
There is so much that is great about this painting, I don’t know where to start. It is fresh, so yes , do not over work it. That is half the battle…knowing when to put the brush down. The story is hilarious…esp Whole paycheck.
I am particularly taken with the colors…all of them and in the cloth… those patterns are interesting, the diagonals are a great contrast to the circular motion of the floral. Very nice work, Carol.
March 29, 2010 at 11:58 am
Carol King
thanks very much Cathyann, I too like the cloth and the fresh colors.
March 29, 2010 at 1:16 pm
Peggy
Hi Carol,
I love the painting (especially how you “unworked” the vase) and, as always, love your observations about the world around us. I (apparently live under a rock) had not heard of “freegans” but do have many of those bags that I often forget to take with me to the store!
I have been LOVING the chocolate raspberry jell rings and macaroons of Passover and eagerly await the jelly beans and chocolate bunnies of Easter (there’s my “foodie” pitch for multi-culturalism)!
Hugs,
Peggy
March 29, 2010 at 11:19 pm
CarolKing
Peggy! You commented on the blog. Yay. I can’t wait for Easter chocolate. And while not so much a matzo fan, I do like the chocolate covered kind.
March 29, 2010 at 1:27 pm
CathyG
Wow, a terrific springtimey painting – just beautiful, Carol – as we go into autumn and winter 😦 I think I’ll check back here for a dose of sunshine. My daughter’s new boyfriend (we haven’t met him yet – in London) has a freegan sister, who my daughter went ‘shopping’ with, in park bins. Do hope she doesn’t take to it!
Happy Passover to you and yours.
March 29, 2010 at 11:20 pm
CarolKing
LOL! It’s a shame so much food gets thrown out, but still, I don’t get going through the garbage.
March 29, 2010 at 1:58 pm
Matt--the husband
I love the flowers and vase—-hate the “erries” —but that’s only me! You’re a wonderful artist so keep at it! Very nice job.
March 29, 2010 at 11:21 pm
CarolKing
Hello my love, I knew you would hate the ‘erries. I will paint some banannas for you next.
March 29, 2010 at 4:17 pm
asmalltowndad
I guess I’m more of a “Meecan” as in “Me Can” eat almost anything, but not from a dumpster!
Really great painting, I think the cool palette brings a fresh, warm springtime feeling.
March 29, 2010 at 4:57 pm
Jala Pfaff
How do you know the “freegan” you saw was not homeless? Just curious.
Our neighborhood grocery store, which was independent, darling, and wonderful for some 30 years or such, a couple of years ago was bought by Whole Paycheck. Immediately they changed everything and doubled the prices. Now it’s a near-monopoly. Their brands are “reasonably” priced, and they doubled all other brands’ prices. Needless to say, there are now 90% 365 Brand products available. It is really scary.
BTW, I highly recommend the string bags. If you have a large-ish purse like I do, they can be balled up quite tiny and stuck in the bottom of your purse. When you go to pay and realize you “don’t have a bag”–well, it turns out you do! (However, one must still remember this fact, which is a task in itself.)
Happy Passover (even though I don’t celebrate, I’m still Jewish).
March 29, 2010 at 11:24 pm
CarolKing
I’m pretty sure he wasn’t homeless. I’ve seen a lot of homeless people over the years and this guy was not one. He was too well dressed (for a hipster) and had new sneakers. I’m SURE he was a freegan.
A lot of people in my area also use those string bags. They are pretty handy.
March 29, 2010 at 5:37 pm
Yousei Hime
Lovely tulips, even in the almost finished state. Freegans . . . Wow. I’d heard of them. I wish there was some kind of system set up so people could make use of these items without having to dumpster dive. Thanks for sharing all this.
March 29, 2010 at 11:28 pm
CarolKing
Glad you like the tulips, I agree, it would be nice to have a system to get the unused food to the people who need it.
March 29, 2010 at 6:20 pm
ambiguousartistry
This is a lovely piece Carol, definitely has a very fresh spring time feeling.
I still can’t get my head around eating food that has been in a bin or even foraging through a bin. I’m too paranoid for that lol.
March 29, 2010 at 11:34 pm
CarolKing
Hey Chloe, thanks for your comment. And I’m too paranoid for foraging in a bin too. Yuck.
March 29, 2010 at 7:58 pm
kseverny
thats a really cool painting carol.
Very loose and easy on the eye.
however.
i have something to say about dumpster diving.
its disgusting.
Or maybe i’m just a snob.
Why dont they go to the store and ask if tey’re chucking anything out and if so buy it at a lower price.
taking food from bins. yuck.
lol
March 29, 2010 at 8:05 pm
absurdoldbird
Lovely!
March 29, 2010 at 11:36 pm
CarolKing
Thanks Val.
March 29, 2010 at 8:23 pm
Alonso
I love your paintings and this one is beautiful just as is…inspiring work.
P.S.
I have given you my blogger friend a gift that will give to others to see it click on the link:)
http://alonsohenry.wordpress.com/2010/03/29/children-miracle-network/
March 29, 2010 at 11:36 pm
CarolKing
Thanks Alonso. I loved your Cheshire Cat!
March 29, 2010 at 10:41 pm
jaybastian
Lovely painting so far, Carol. I like the fabric as much as the flowers. Great colors too, I like all the different reds.
March 29, 2010 at 11:37 pm
CarolKing
The fabric was fun to do. I wanted to change my palette a little and enjoyed using the cooler colors. Thanks Jay.
March 30, 2010 at 11:21 am
Tristan Roberson
i realy like this still life… it has such vibrant colors… its realy nice!!!
March 30, 2010 at 12:11 pm
CarolKing
Tristan, thanks so much for your comment and stopping by.
March 30, 2010 at 1:44 pm
Beth Parker
This is a wonderful painting, Carol! I have noticed lately, that watercolor artists seem to leave a little white and it looks good. (Personally, I haven’t found my stop button yet.) You have done an amazing job with these tulips on their pretty table.
March 30, 2010 at 4:24 pm
Nancy Lee
Carol,
I love your tulips! Leslie sent me over to peek and they are beautiful, cheerful, colorful and love the fabric with complimentary patterns and designs. Thanks for sharing
March 30, 2010 at 4:35 pm
CarolKing
Hi Nancy, sister of the too too talented Leslie! I see talent runs in the family. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. How’s your Yoga book selling? I hope it’s doing well.
March 30, 2010 at 8:31 pm
Francis Jong
Hi Carol, the tulips are just marvelous, they look so lovely absorbing lights from may be your nearby window. I really like the glass jar and the table cloth under it, the transparency is just captivating. Hmm..maybe the “freegans” are doing some recycle of waste food, it will be a very good compose material and especially good for organic planting. Well, i must say he do a good job saving the planet.
March 30, 2010 at 11:26 pm
CarolKing
Hi Francis, Thanks for stopping by. I’m glad you like the painting. I don’t the the freegans are composting the food, except maybe in their stomachs!
March 31, 2010 at 2:08 am
Stephen
Nice work Carol – it sometimes takes courage to walk away from a painting that cries out for just one more touch – and experience I guess.
But this painting sparkles – cool work
March 31, 2010 at 10:02 am
Carol King
You are exactly right. It does take courage to walk away. Thanks for your comment.
April 2, 2010 at 9:08 am
Tasneem R
We all should try our bit to save the planet and do something about to stop global warming. Anyway the tulips look awesome and Easter is always much awaiting time of the year ! 🙂
Holidays are Fun!-Holidays – The total ingredient for pure fun!
April 2, 2010 at 11:34 am
CarolKing
I try to do what I can to save the planet. I don’t drive very much and I try to recycle as much as possible.
April 10, 2010 at 10:07 am
wrjones
Whole paycheck is right. These are pretty flowers. Now I see why you preferred the red shutter. I would like to recommend you don’t leave a halo around them. This is easy to fix in oil, water color I’m not so sure. I guess you would have to let the background dry then paint the flowers or use masking. Watercolor is for all you thinking people who shop at whole foods.
May 2, 2010 at 2:59 am
Paul Coventry-Brown
Thanks for stopping by my blog Carol 🙂
Gorgeous fresh and vibrant colours in this painting ………… looks finished to me, but what do I know about watercolours 😉