Pumpkins Vanitas, 2016, Acrylic on Canvas, 18 x 36
I have had this idea for a painting for about three years and it feels so good to have finally seen it to fruition. The vanitas still life was common among Dutch painters during the 15th century. They are incredibly photo realistic, were meant to remind the viewer of the transience of life, and often included skulls and perishable things like orange peels or bread. And as far as I know they always include a blown-out candle to imply that whoever was there just barely left the scene.
I don't typically appreciate hyperrealistic art as I feel that, especially in modern times, if you're looking for realism you can just take a picture. But in this case, I just wanted to see if I could do it. It was a good exercise in color mixing and light source consideration.