I was clearing out some shelves today and found this glass wasp jar. A wasp jar, for those not familiar with them, were the original environmentally friendly method of eliminating wasps. The jar has a raised dome inside with an open centre. Sugar water is poured into the jar about an inch or so and it is hung in your wasp problem area. The wasp enters the jar from the bottom, slides down the dome in its efforts to reach the sugar water and, unable to climb the slippery slope again to find its escape, succumbs to a sugary death.
The shape and colour of it appealed to me and I played around with compositions and lighting for awhile before deciding on adding the marble as a stopper and some crumpled wax paper to soften the background. I'd seen some of Sadie Valeri's work with still life and waxed paper and it inspired me to try painting some waxed paper and see what happens.
I drew the piece straight onto a 9 x 12 canvas with a small brush and diluted payne's grey in oils. I seemed to get a little lost in the marble, but that went by the wayside as I started refining shapes and adding some colour to its current point.
This piece may take awhile or it may go quickly, depending on how the glass and waxed paper cooperates!
4 comments:
Looking really good - I really like the addition of the marble to give it a bit more color. I think they still have those jars in garden catalogs.
Thanks Rhonda. Its my marble phase. :) And yes, you can still find these jars around sometimes.
intriguing and coming along beautifully!
Thank you Suzanne! You're a lovely supporter for my work.
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