Pears on a Glass Pedestal
(16" x 16", oil on canvas)

Fruit, fruit and more fruit! I seem to be hooked on colour and what better way to get my fix than to paint the wonderful variety of fruit that is so readily available.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

These are a Few of my Favourite Things
(16" x 16", oil on canvas)

Not all paintings work out. After a few days of struggling with an idea that simply wouldn't gel, I pulled out a few of my favourite things, and just like the song, things start to look up.

This red jug has starred in many successful paintings, and is a joy to paint. While the colour is wonderful, I think it's appeal has more to do with shape and proportion. Add some colourful fruit and a bowl in a complementary shape and I have a can't-fail composition.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Brown Sugar Berries
(12" x 12", oil on canvas)

While it is true that nothing beats fresh picked local berries, imported varieties keep me happy long before our season really kicks in. These berries traveled all the way from California to Quebec, cushioned on a bed of bubble wrap. No picking through this box to find the perfect ones, each berry is perfect with bright green leaves and lovely shades of fiery oranges and reds.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Pedestal Dish
(16" x 16", oil on canvas)

Put anything in a pedestal dish and it is immediately elevated (no pun intended) from the mundane to the extraordinary. Although I've used similar elements as last week’s abundance-themed painting, here I was aiming for a more contemplative, pared down tone.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Fruit Frieze
(20" x 30", oil on canvas)

A recent (and long over-due) cleanup of my prop room yielded this lovely urn. I'd used it many years ago, but as I add props to my collection, treasures often get pushed to the back. I love the classical tone of this painting and abundance of fruit that suggests timeless indulgence.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Fresh Fruit II
(12" x 24", oil on canvas)

This is my second take on last week's subject matter. Taking full advantage of what is known as "artistic license" I made the pot a little wider than the first painting so it would sit better in this canvas shape. I eliminated the top berry and added a few scattered ones leading the eye of the viewer from left to right to rest on the pot. And to fill out the composition and add a spark to my reds, I added a few green grapes.

Where last week's piece was restful, this one has more movement owing not only to the placement of the objects but also the addition of the complementary greens.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Jumbo Berries
(12" x 12", oil on canvas)

Strawberries are popular subjects, perhaps because they often speak of a long awaited spring. These were huge berries, making it easier for me to get a really good look at them. I was mindful not to include too much detail when doing the berries, as they quickly lose that fresh appeal if overworked.

I could not make up my mind whether this painting should be a 12" square canvas or a more elongated shape, so I decided to do both. Each canvas shape has it's own dynamic. While a square canvas is usually restful, an elongated shape calls for tension in a composition. Next week you will see my second variation.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.