Still Life in Pastels, Donation

I have been working on a painting for the Family Crisis Center's annual dance fundraiser. I donate every year and I try to donate something new. It started when I exhibited here in Bastrop at the Bastrop Fine Arts Gallery. Most of the art aficionados in Bastrop would have seen my paintings and I didn't want them to bid on an "old" painting, thinking I donated because I hadn't sold it. At any rate I started doing a new one every year and now it is tradition. If you are going to the dance on January 23, you can see the painting in person and bid on it there. That would be great!

Pastel, 9 x 12 inches on Pastelbord

This is a painting of some old things sitting in my kitchen. None of them are actually antiques from my family. I bought the big jug in North Carolina, I think, it has a spout and I bought it to serve sangria. I'm not sure I ever used it as I have another from Chile that was usually used. Maybe that will be in the next painting. The dark brown jar/jug is a mystery, the origin lost in my memory. The blue measuring cup is just a few years old.

Have you ever painted and it came out completely different than your plan? This one sure did. I intended the background to be very dark and have the items emerging out of the dark, sort of like candlelit. Well, the brown jug was just too dark and blended completely into the background. I tried making it lighter and did not like the look, it took away from the antique feeling to me. I had to lighten the background to show the brown. I suppose I will have to do another with some lighter and brighter items in it. Stay tuned to see what happens. The other sangria jar is dark brown pottery, too, so it won't work unless it is in front of something lighter. More ideas emerging from the dark. Ahhhhh, that is good. New ideas are always welcome.

Speaking of which, how about a name? Egg 'n Stuff??