STORY BEHIND THE ART OF WENDY HOLLENDER

23rd Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists at Wave Hill

Luscious Pear

Pyrus communis

Edible trees are a favorite of mine as subjects and I am especially attracted to luscious bunches of fruits. 

I have been watching this pear tree grow since we planted it 10 years ago. It started to fruit about three years ago and it was particularly fruitful the year I started this painting, with lovely color variation on each pear. 

I cut a nice branch with a few fruits to draw. This composition shows a grouping of fruit and leaves on a branch as they grow on the tree with lots of overlapping of elements for a good contrasting composition. I also show a single pear and cut open fruit with a few seeds spilling out. I knew that come spring I would add in the flowers, so I saved a spot on my composition for a few blossoms. 

When we planted on our small permaculture style farm 11 years ago, I chose a lot of edible plants for obvious reasons: they look great and I love to eat them! Pears are a valuable food source and the ability to grow your own fruit is a true gift to have. I am slowly trying to draw many of them. My goal is for the viewer to be enticed to want to pick a fruit off the tree, just as the real tree when fruiting beckons to anyone to come closer and sample a fruit. 

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Read more about this artist’s work: 21st Annual