Still Life Painting in California – A Continuous Transformation By Elaine Adams, California Art Club Newsletter, February/March 2004
Still life, contrary to its name, is a form of artistic expression that constantly evolves. Objects change through time, as they vary in style and purpose or even become obsolete. Cultural tastes and interests also change including what is revered and enjoyed as part of nature’s bounties. One may consider still-lifes as societal statements locked in time. Still life paintings often show the natural world combined with that of the manmade—flowers in a vase, fruit in a bowl, food on a tray—symbols of human triumphs in domesticating nature and containing it for everyday use and enjoyment.
