Solo Exhibition
December 6 opening reception 6-9!
In recent years, my studio practice has included a series of food still life paintings that directly relate to my obsessive enjoyment of food and how that enjoyment connects me to a larger community.
Food has consumed most of my thought since my return to Philadelphia after living in the Midwest for three years. Initially, I focused on the local foods I had missed like pretzels, hoagies and tastykakes. Realizing the strong attraction these subjects have to the audience, I further explored how food can relate to individuals and their personal history. The food memories that create bonds to a community and region further fed my interest.
With paint, I aim to translate and recreate the seductiveness of food through texture, color and form. The specific beauty of unique artisanal cheeses, sculptural sushi rolls and the life sustaining breads have all been found in the rich community of Philadelphia, and more specifically along Rittenhouse Square. The Metropolitan Bakery was a valuable source for some of the most beautifully baked subjects easily translated into hunger-inducing images. Zama Restaurant, enthusiastically contributed support for another series of paintings. They offered some of the most jewel-like compositions of sushi found in the city. The seemingly infinite supply of the world’s best cheeses, found at Di Bruno Brothers, gave me access to an extensive source of inspiration and resulted in a series of cheese portraits. These culinary institutions expanded my understanding of the world through food. This exhibition celebrates their support as much as the art they produce that inspires mine.