Fall Squash Painting

Squashes almost glow with warm colours. Along with autumn foliage, they are part of the last great flash of hot colour before the whiteness of winter, even in the dark spaces of a shed which is where this squash was sitting alongside some zinneas still full of colour even though the summer has ended. Because most still lives have no sense of movement or life in them, I could not resist including the ladybug slowly making its way down the stem of the squash in search of a cozy nest. The season of growth may be over but the dead stalk of the squash will still harbour life. We tend to forget that all in nature, even a dead stem, contributes to the continuance of life. I am thankful for my classical training in which I was taught how to use glazes. Without them I could not have brought up the richness of the oranges as effectively, or created such a deep, dark atmosphere to enhance the glow of the squash.