The Power of Beets

Have you ever thought about the power of beets? No? I haven’t either. That is, until I started this painting of a rich, red beet. First off, if Tori Amos can write a song about the Power of Orange Knickers, then it seems I can share some thoughts on the power of this mighty red root vegetable called the beet. Don’t you think?

Process

Here are some details and thoughts about this week’s painting process. And, for any readers who might be new here, I describe my 2020 Favorite Paintings plan here.

Each new painting is usually some thing with a shape that I find appealing. Coincidentally, these shapes tend to be fruit or vegetables. Of course, my ideal shape to paint is that of the amazing human body but that is not the focus of this 2020 plan.

First, I do a color study of the item I have selected. This past week, I started off doing a color study of fresh, green spring onions. It was fun but the subject matter didn’t move me. All I could think about was onion breath! Blech!

So, I decided to find something else to inspire me. Fortunately, I had a moment when I was unloading groceries when this beet fell onto the countertop. This is the exact same thing that happened to me with last week’s painting. My reaction to the luscious, deep red color of the beet was visceral. I knew I had to paint it!

Artist Notes

I have started keeping a journal to help clear my mind before I start painting. One of the things I’ve noticed about these last few paintings is that, early on in the process, I am seeing the object as some kind of 3 dimensional shape that I try to name.

This is something I really struggled with when I was in school. But, fortunately, with time and awareness, my mind is starting to see things I’m painting as cubes with rounded corners (the beet). The beet greens were a wide green triangular shaped fan. I find that when I name these things while I’m in the early stages of the painting, I avoid diving into the details and take time to let my eyes see the biggest shapes first.

Preparation

I usually paint a small color study in preparation for the painting. I do this to help me think about tricky colors and composition ahead of the actual painting.

Since the beginning of 2020, each of the paintings in this series is quite small and range in size from 5 x 7 inches to 6 x 6 inches to 8 x 8 inches. I’ve painted the last few weeks’ paintings on panel. But, this week, I decided to stretch and tone linen canvasses. Wahooo! This is familiar territory because I have painted on cotton or linen canvasses since 2014.

In fact, one of the teachers at school, took the time to share her process for stretching canvasses. During her lunchtime lecture, she fielded so many questions (cough, cough) that she offered to help any interested students during an after school session. Let’s just say I was the last person to finish my first stretched canvas.

Now? I enjoy taking the time to prepare canvasses and imagine the possibilities of future still life and figurative paintings. Right now, I work in my dining room. So you can see the round dining room table is acting as a substitute work table for prepping canvasses. The result? 3 large 18 x 24 linen canvasses and 4 small 8 x 8 linen canvasses. I painted this week’s painting on one of the 8 x 8 inch linen canvasses.

The Significance of Beets

As I was painting this beet, I thought of the delicious taste of these earthy vegetables. I also remember eating these when I was a child. My recollection is that my mother preferred serving her beets in a light vinegar. Oh la la…the sweet flavor of beets and a splash of vinegar is quite delightful indeed!

Turns out that beets are one of those vegetables that people either love or hate. Who knew? I didn’t realize the taste generated such strong reactions!

Nor did I realize that beets have been relevant in art, cooking, history, and medicine for centuries. Here’s an interesting article that shares the details and even several delicious recipes that I hope to try soon.

So, dear reader, what exactly is the power of beets? You are correct if you think the answer is subjective! Given my attention to these delicious root vegetables and their earthy taste and their rich ruby color, I would say the power of beets is vast and, well, beautiful. But, I am curious what you think? Are you a fan of beets? Or do you a prefer a less earthy flavor? Please share in the comments below!

This painting entitled “The Power of Beets” is for sale here. And, if you are interested in weekly updates and paintings on this blog, feel free to sign up here. Thank you, as always, for reading!