I began to paint still life paintings while I was recovering from surgery in 2023. Friends brought me flowers and so I began to paint them in oils in a variety of vases. Last year I was prompted to paint some Cornishware pottery in watercolour while in Cornwall. I really liked that painting and in some ways regret selling it. I think perhaps that regret fuelled the creation of this kitchen still life, featuring apples and willow pattern china. I did however change the medium to soft pastel, as I’d recently tidied my studio and found a box of pastels I had forgotten about.
I realised towards the end of the first of the three sessions this took to complete, that my concentration level was similar to watercolour, as my tongue was held in my teeth. I am not always in the mood for that level of concentration, which is possibly why I prefer oils and their loose application, but I persevered with the pastels and am happy with the finished piece.
Kitchen table still life
Soft pastel on paper
21 x 25 inches
£265
