Pomegranates
26 x 22 in. (66 x 56 cm)
Transparent watercolor on paper
$6,500
Available through the artist
As summer turns to fall, we find much beauty and delight in the change of seasons. Green leaves transform into vibrant colors, we dig out our favorite comfort food recipes, and produce selection begins to include more of the traditional winter fruit.
“As my family was filling a cornucopia this year, the ruby red pomegranates drew my attention,” says watercolor artist Matthew Bird. “The pomegranate is a fruit rich with history and meaning, and I decided to do some quick studies. I looked for some with a variety of tones, and a few imperfections, then dropped a few of the seeds to showcase the fruit’s delicacy. But before I could start painting, my wife—and avid plant lover—walked into my studio, assessed the scene, and declared, ‘This needs eucalyptus.’
“I agreed, but also inwardly cringed at the number of additional hours the leaves would require. The complimentary green colors would be dynamic with the red fruit, but where was I going to get eucalyptus? She said, ‘I planted some in the side yard after you spent so much time looking for eucalyptus for your other painting.’ Awesome wife for the win!” continues Matthew.
One of the benefits of still life paintings is the ability to control specific elements the artist wants to explore, such as texture, composition, color or light. If the artist wants to play with complimentary colors, for example, they can select the appropriate objects and see what happens.
“Arranging the composition for Pomegranates was one of my favorite aspects of painting this still life,” adds Matthew.
Complimentary colors can mix to create beautiful greys, but when painted next to each other, they are especially dynamic because they play off the opposite’s intensity. Joining forces, the red pomegranates and the various greens from the eucalyptus leaves provided the extra vibrancy that take this painting to the next level.
Matthew maintains a studio outside Baltimore, Maryland, with his wife and children, where he paints with a deep love and respect for nature and life, enjoying both portrait and still life work.
“I have focused on developing my craft to capture the beauty of what surrounds me with precision and clarity,” he says, “and strive to convey that to all people through the universal language of representational art. It is my desire that when others see my work they may be inspired by the perceptible signs of the real Creator.”
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Matthew graduated with honors from the Pratt Institute of Art in Brooklyn, New York, in 2000. He is a Signature Member of numerous organizations, including the National Watercolor Society, and his award-winning watercolor paintings have been exhibited across the United States, as well as in Canada, China, Greece, Hong Kong, and Italy. His work is in a permanent museum collection as well as numerous private collections.
Matthew has been featured twice in Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine as one of “Today’s Masters” (Feb. & Oct. 2018), American Art Collector (Issue 158), Watercolor Magazine as “One To Watch” (Dec. 2017), The Artist’s Magazine (July/August 2017), The Art Of Watercolour Magazine (Issue 32), and Splash: Best of Watercolor.
Visit matthewbird.com for more work by Matthew Bird, or to sign up for his e-newsletter.
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