Provenance
Acquired by American Legacy Fine Arts directly from the artist
Artist Statement
“I look forward each spring to the arrival of Orioles at my backyard feeders. Only one pair at a time seem to appear, with their quick, spirited movements and shy nature. It’s only for a week or two each year from March through May, but they are always the most colorful of my visitors. Three male Bullock’s Orioles on their migration through Central Coast California are ready to sample pears served up on a silver glass plate. The motive for this painting, given my appreciation for these lovely birds would seem to be the Orioles, but my neighbor had just given me a basket of pears from her tree and I was eager to paint instead of eat them! The shelf and frame are painted in neutral tones, the pears and birds to mirror each other in color, while the books to be a splash of complement. Color, form, dimension, and value were all carefully considered elements used as an invitation to enjoy this moment in time with the classic theme of birds and fruit.”
—Mary Kay West
Exhibited
The Poetry of Still Life, American Legacy Fine Arts, Pasadena, California, April 22 – May 21, 2023
