This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Arts & Entertainment

An Artist's Exhibit Reveals a Not-So Still Life

Cindy Packard Richmond's exhibit at the Art League proves food Is a feast for the eyes and soul

Cindy Packard Richmond’s paintings depict just-washed grapes, pistachios nestled in their shells and clementines peeled so freshly that strings of white pith remain to be cleaned. They are an homage to the reality of what can captivate us when we see food: bright, eye-catching colors and sumptuous shapes.

Packard Richmond’s paintings are simultaneously hyper-real and abstract.  “I like to do things that are whimsical,” she said during the opening reception  for her show Food, Glorious Food last Thursday at The Art League in Old Town Alexandria.

Visitor John Austin of Alexandria summed up what he thought Packard Richmond sought to explore in her paintings. “It’s not entirely about the food per se, there’s color, there’s texture, there’s light for each food form. It brings a different perspective to the canvas.”

Find out what's happening in Old Town Alexandriawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Indeed, Strawberry Fields, one of the larger works in the exhibit is not so much a study in fruit, but the myriad shades of red inherent in a single bowl of these little "earthmen" as they're known in German. As Packard Richmond wrote on her blog, "Red is hard. Subtle nuances tend to get lost in red."

While the artist's paintings  demonstrate a fascination with color and texture, perhaps she also owes her obsession with comestibles to her devious brother. According to Packard Richmond, her sibling would diabolically douse random jelly beans with hot sauce leaving the artist to the powers of her own palate to detect the tainted confections. (Think about biting down on a rogue hot-sauce infused jellybean when you’re chomping on assorted flavors of pectin Easter morning.)

Find out what's happening in Old Town Alexandriawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“I paint large because I’m not good at very little detail. I once had a teacher who said my paintings looked like smudge by numbers,” she joked.

On the contrary, details like the title of her paintings complete the whimsy of her works and demonstrate that she is very much aware of the finer points of painterly endeavors.  Many of the works in her show are humorous wordplays.  A rendition of blueberries in deep hues ranging from lilac to midnight is titled The  Blues,  while a portrait of oysters is called Aww, Shucks.

The reception last Thursday was more akin to a house party with old friends whizzing in and out to pay respects to the artist, and family mingling about to lend support.  The artist, a consummate hostess, engaged her public while serving homemade mini chocolate whoopie pies from a silver tray. For an added dose of verisimiltude, she placed real examples of  clementines in front of My Darling Clementine and a bouqet of asparagus sat in front of the portrait of the green, spear-like vegetables.

Food, Glorious Food runs until May 2 at The Art League's Torpedo Factory.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?