Painting #4 / Clementine in Tissue

Clementine with Tissue

James Aponovich

6 " x 8", oil on canvas, 2011

Another in the series of "Black Paintings" ( see below).

Often I am drawn to paint individual fruits, among my favorites are peeled clementines. These fruits are available in December and January, but now due to a prolonged growing season in Morocco and California they are still in our local market.

Although this painting is small, the fruit is life size. I am most comfortable painting objects their actual size. The previous painting, Parrot Tulips in Black Vase, would have normally been a canvas at least twice the size and subsequently I had to struggle with the proportions.

The painting Clementine in Tissue is a study for

Still Life with Stacked Books (next week's painting.....I hope). My wife Elizabeth likened it to a theme of gradual opening and unfolding of layers. I was happy with that comment.

ABOUT THE "BLACK PAINTINGS"

PAINTINGS HAVE MANY COMPONENTS, TWO OF WHICH ARE COLOR AND VALUE. SIMLPY STATED, VALUE IS THE VARIOUS GREYS ONE WOULD GET A IF A COLOR PAINTING WAS PHOTOGRAPHED IN BLACK AND WHITE. I REFER TO THESE AS VALUE CHORDS. GENERALLY THERE ARE THREE BSAIC CHORDS, LOW. HIGH AND INTERMEDIATE.

Low Value (DARK)

VERY DARK VALUES PUNCTUATED WITH WHITE . THIS IS THE VALUE CHORD OF THE

"BLACK PAINTINGS". IT IS DEEP AND MYSTERIOUS. IN A STRING QUARTET IT WOULD BE THE SOUND OF THE CELLO OR VIOLA.

High Value (LIGHT)

MOSTLY LIGHT, AIRY VALUES WITH THE ADDITION OF WHITE AND BLACK DETAILS. THINK OF A RENOIR PAINTING OR THE SOUND OF A VIOLIN IN THE STRING QUARTET.

Intermediate Value ( MID)

HERE ALL THE VALUES ARE BALANCED WITH OVERALL MID VALUE PUNCTUATED WITH WHITE AND BLACK ( light and dark). MOST OF MY PAINTINGS ( Parrot Tulips in Black Vase,for example) ARE IN THIS CHORD.

IT IS THE ENTIRE STRING QUARTET.