feasting on noah verrier’s food paintings

“For me every painting is like a prayer to God, I can be still, look closely, and interpret the colors, shapes, and emotion before me.” ~ Noah Verrier

Hungry? If you’re craving a little comfort food, whether fast or slow, you’ve come to the right place. Florida artist Noah Verrier’s realistic depictions of classic favorites hit the spot every time.

Feasting on one of Verrier’s mouthwatering, calorie-free still lifes comes with an added benefit: zero guilt. So go ahead and lick off that cupcake frosting to your heart’s content, polish off a syrupy stack of fluffy pancakes, or wolf down a cheesy Big Mac with fries. You’ll feel satisfied and have fun doing it.

Though now based in Tallahassee, Verrier was born in Salem, Oregon, and moved to Florida with his parents when he was six. He loved art as a child and began drawing and painting in watercolors by the age of ten in order to emulate what he saw.

photo of Noah Verrier in his studio by Chasity Maynard/Tallahassee Democrat.

He was fully immersed in art in high school, inspired by Impressionism. Van Gogh and Monet were big influences. He then studied art at Florida State University, taking an interest in 19th century painters Manet, Sargent and Sorolla, as well as 20th century artist Wayne Thiebaud, admiring them for their realistic imagery and brush stroke styles. He also taught painting at FSU, first as a graduate student and then as a professor after earning his MFA. In 2017, he took a leap of faith and quit teaching to become a full-time artist.

Noah specializes in oils and always paints from real-life subjects. He typically begins by sketching an image, then setting up a composition in his home studio. He uses a wet-on-wet painting technique, also known as alla prima painting. This allows him to apply a layer of wet paint on top of another wet layer, all in one setting. Using unique brush strokes and blends of color, he’s able to complete a painting in one day.

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Robert C. Jackson’s Whimsical World

Tall stacks of Oreos, mountains of donuts and macarons, balloon dogs eating pizza and hot dogs. Not necessarily the first things that come to mind when describing still life art.

Yet for contemporary realist painter Robert C. Jackson, delectable, nostalgic and surprising subjects are often on the menu. Goodbye predictable tabletops, fruit bowls, ho-hum vases of flowers. Hello soda crates, laughing watermelons, vintage toys. Jackson has turned the still life genre on its head and is obviously having a lot of fun doing it.

Bob Jackson in his Kennett Square studio.

Jackson (b.1964, Kinston, NC) moved to Delaware with his family when he was about 11. He was always good at drawing, but never thought of art as a profession. Instead, he graduated from the University of Delaware with a degree in Electrical Engineering. In his senior year, his girlfriend (and future wife) gave him a set of oil paints for Christmas.

Not having the slightest idea what to do with them, he enrolled in an introductory art class and soon discovered how much he loved painting. Although he did consider a masters degree in painting, Electrical Engineering prevailed as the more practical choice.

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roberto bernardi: sweets for the sweet

What’s your pleasure? Go ahead. Reach right in and grab your favorite. Is it a fruity barber pole candy stick? Or maybe a whirlypop? There are lots of gummies, rainbow bites, jelly beans and jawbreakers too.

Italian hyperrealist Roberto Bernardi’s oil on canvas still life sweet treats are vivid, colorful, intricately detailed and technically meticulous, giving new meaning to the term ‘eye candy.’

Hyperrealist painter and sculptor Roberto Bernardi.

Bernardi was born in Todi, a province of Perugia, Italy in 1974. He still lives and works there today. He began painting with oils by the age of 13, having been trained in the methods and techniques of the great Italian masters. After graduating from high school in 1993, he moved to Rome, where he worked as a restorer in the church of San Francesco a Ripa.

The following year, he shifted his focus to creating his own paintings, first doing landscapes and portraits before concentrating on contemporary still lifes, favoring a realism closely associated with hyperrealism.

He had his first solo exhibition in 1994, where he gained the recognition of both the public and local critics. He has since had over 15 solo exhibitions worldwide between New York, London, Paris, Detroit and Singapore. His works have also been included in 25 exhibitions in international museums and over 100 group shows in many worldwide art galleries.

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lucia heffernan’s animal whimsy

“Puppy Chow” by Lucia Heffernan

This cute little pup seems a little unsure about that drumstick on his plate.  Do you think he’s trying to figure out how to use that knife and fork? What impeccable table manners!

I was happy to chance upon Lucia Heffernan’s whimsical animal paintings recently. It’s simply impossible not to smile when you see them. She takes anthropomorphized animals to a new level: they’re realistic rather than caricatures, created with panache, elegance, and humor. 

A pig in a top hat? Bunnies driving race cars and shopping for carrots? What about a police bear enjoying coffee and donuts, or a handsome dog shaving? Whatever you do, don’t tell on that kitty who literally spilled the beans. 😀

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Sarah Bowman: In and out of the Window

A cup of tea, a sweet treat, and a lovely view: who could ask for more?

British artist Sarah Bowman is known for her ‘though the window’ paintings, which impart a soothing sense of peace, calm and serenity. 

Sarah in her home studio.

This unique hybrid of a still life in the foreground with a landscape beyond invites the viewer to enjoy a dual narrative, with the chosen objects and the space around them telling one story and the outdoor scene another.

Bowman has said that her landscapes are derived from memory; they’re an amalgamation of places she’s visited such as Cornwall, Devon, the Scilly Isles, and Andalucia.

She actually lives in Ashburton, Devon, where she works at home in an attic studio. She and her husband own the White Space Art Gallery in nearby Totnes, a market town with a thriving arts community. 

Sarah works in oil on board or canvas, using a gentle, muted palette. A harmonious blend of subdued greens, blues and greys with pops of pinks, yellows, oranges and purples speak of idyllic coastlines, stone quays, fishing villages, patchwork fields, quaint cottages and rolling hills dotted with sheep.

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