Avocado
Acrylic
24 x 36
In high school, I decided to cut a bunch of fruits and vegetables in half and paint what I found inside. The avocado is my favorite of the series by far and looking at it stirs up lots of childhood memories.
Growing up in Southern California and eating lots of avocados go hand in hand. Sometime in the 70's, my dad planted the avocado tree that now dominates the left corner of my parents' front garden. Their tree produces the creamiest, most delicate tasting avocados. Hours and hours of my childhood were spent in that tree. My brother and I each had a favorite perch, a bend in a branch that created a kid-sized seat. Our hands were tough and callused from gripping onto the hard bark. In first grade, my teacher gave us the Moon Journal assignment and I spent a month documenting the changing phases and conditions. Each night, I would climb up to my favorite perch and look through the thick green leaves, catching a peek of the moon so I could sketch it in my journal. Our black lab Worf would graze under the avocado tree, chewing on raw avocados. He had a thick, silky smooth coat from the extra fat and oil in his diet. As I got older and braver I'd climb higher and higher in the tree. One year the tree produced a wild amount of avocados, and my parents agreed to let my friend and I sell them. That little business venture was far more lucrative than any lemonade stand.
Bell Pepper
Acrylic
12 x 18