Ingredients #3
(24" x 24", oil on canvas)

I had been working on this composition, on and off, for two weeks before finally putting paint to canvas. I spent the first day roughing in the large shapes and the next rendering a glass jar filled with fresh tarragon sprigs. This latter part of the composition would be the first to fade, so I wanted to bring it to almost a completed stage before moving onto to the bottles. By the end of the day I realized that no matter how nicely painted, the jar and feathery herb shapes of the tarragon did not belong in this composition and, after about 8 hours of work, I rubbed it out, replacing it with the red bowl. As an experienced painter I felt I should have seen this compositional error sooner, but mistakes are often part of the process.

The next day back in the studio with fresh eyes, I realized I had truly made the right decision—the red bowl was an infinitely better fit. The end result is a great piece, much stronger than it would have been had I stuck with my original composition.

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