Blue Jean
20x24"
Framed in weathered gray wood (not pictured)
Scroll over art to see detail
Boston is a foodie-town, and oyster bars are on every corner in our city neighborhood. But I had the great pleasure of getting oysters straight from the bay in Wellfleet on Cape Cod last fall, fresh and ice cold! To read on about that inspiring trip, click here.
The shells themselves are amazing when you take the time to look. The soft inner shell markings can vary anywhere from lavendar to gold. The edges are sometimes as jagged and rough as sawteeth, or can be as delicate and white as lace. Each shell has a different shape and depth.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, has many Dutch masters' paintings that feature pewter platters of oysters as a centerpiece in the still life. These gorgeous renderings inspire me, and I love to return to them when I make my regular visits to the MFA.
Oysters and other fish are a huge part of the coastal economy in port cities and towns... whether in 17th century Amsterdam or in 21st century Massachusetts. My ancestors were Atlantic cod fishermen who fished these waters not far from where I live today. So, my oysters are painted with a nod of homage to my forebears!