High Summer

Last summer in central Virginia was defined by heat. Long stretches of intense heat and humidity kept me indoors during a favorite time of year: the peak of summer. Instead of walking the landscapes I often paint, I began to bring the season into my studio.

I started painting the produce that accumulated on my kitchen counter - pears, tomatoes, peaches, and whatever else ripened during those hottest weeks. As the heat lingered, what began as a few small studies became a series.

High Summer is a collection of small, life-sized watercolor portraits made during that stretch of weather. Many of the pieces were painted over several days as the fruit continued to ripen and change in the heat. The titles reference the conditions of the season itself - humidity, storms, drought, and heat warnings.

Last summer left me uneasy. The intensity of the weather brought up deeper worries about our changing climate and what the seasons may become. Painting the fruit in front of me was my way to process those concerns.  My hope is that these paintings offer a moment to consider the season that produced them.