Did you know that navel oranges are harvested in December? If you are from Tulare County where the world’s best (and most) navel oranges are grown, you probably knew that.
My grandfather and dad were both orange growers. I am an orange painter.
A friend/neighbor called to say that her sister-in-law wanted an oil painting of oranges just like the one in her dad’s house. I asked for a photo of the painting so I would know how to make another one. Obviously, these people have impeccable taste in artwork.
After receiving this photo, I looked through my 963 photos of oil paintings, arranged by subject, and although I recently finished Orange #134, this old painting didn’t show up in my inventory.
That’s okay. I have plenty of photos to work from. And if I am going to paint an 8×10 oil of oranges, I might as well do a second painting to have ready for the next orange art emergency.
This is how the orange paintings looked on day one of painting in December. (The 8×10 will probably be mailed while it is still a bit wet.)
At the end of the painting day, I put them in boxes to carry into the house and prop up over the wood stove so they will be ready for the second layer.
(I painted a second and third layer without photographing the process.)
EPILOGUE: Finished and in the mail, right on schedule!
8 Comments
Jana, I don’t think I knew your dad and grandpa were orange growers. Very neat! and that last painting of the oranges is wonderful. Such great detail!
Merry Christmas, my friend!
Yeppers, Cheryl, and I wanted to farm also, but alas, because I am a daughter, Dad didn’t think his operation was big enough to fit me in. All these years later, I’m very thankful to be an artist rather than a farmer.
Merry Christmas to you (and watch your snail mail. . . 😎 )
Jana, please keep the beautiful visions you create comin!!
Aw shucks, thank you, Kathryn! It is astonishing to me to realize how many orange paintings I’ve done, and they just keep selling. . . sold another one this week.
Magnificent work.
Thank you, Sally! I do love oranges, and it is much simpler to paint them than to grow them.
Is that your drawing of the Ahwahnee Hotel? I have a photo of that exact scene, with snow, when my mother and I spent Christmas there one year. It was beautiful!
Yes, Sharon, that is a print my drawing of the Ahwahnee! (Good spotting, Detective Devol!) What a fabulous place to spend Christmas. It is one of the many drawings that I wish I had a chance to do over, since it is probably 20+ years old, drawn originally as a commission.
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