"Ingredients"

Sometimes ideas are very clear and happen with very little work.

Ryman Heathcare residents provided us with their favorite recipes for this themed exhibition. Flicking through the recipes looking for inspiration, I came across a reference to Butterfly cakes, delightful sounding cakes called “Miracles”, Gingerbread and an Orange Turkey. Instantly I had a picture in my head of flying Butterfly cakes, a fox with gingerbread man and well…an orange turkey.

I’m intrigued as to where such clear ideas come from and always a bit uneasy, Is it my idea? Have I seen it before? Am I imagining or remembering? I suspect most of my ideas are a mix of all this, much like a recipe.

Firstly the oil painting. Realizing I needed to get it underway to allow for drying time I started building it up. The cupcakes were to be the very last thing added.

Then began on a couple of foxes and a turkey. Had an idea to have a fox leaping up in the air with a gingerbread man on his nose and one with a gingerbread man in a saddle. The leaping fox turned out a little clumsy. Fortunately I only need two works (usually have an extra in the pipeline for these sort of issues) and the turkey almost complete.