Pears & Cranberries
11”x14” - Acrylics on cold-press paper - 2023
This was my first still life study from 2023, later shown in a digital exhibition. I approached it with the intention of painting everyday objects in a way that captured their natural essence—not to copy reality, but to express the atmosphere shaped by light. The ripened pears reveal gentle gradients where warm golds transition into soft reds, while the small cranberries nearby sit quietly in deeper reds and maroons, almost hidden but still holding their own presence.
The background divides into two tones—a dark, textured wall and a muted tabletop—creating a simple contrast that frames the fruit without overwhelming it. For me, the painting is less about a perfect arrangement and more about the materials themselves: how light moves across the surface, how colour settles into form, and how small changes in brushwork can create an emotional pull. It became an intimate study of presence, where the pears act as vessels for colour, mood, and quiet sensation.