STORY BEHIND THE ART OF JEANNE REINER

24th Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists and Marin Art & Garden Center

Swoon

Curcubita cv.

Swoon: to faint from extreme emotion; to be affected emotionally by someone or something that one admires; to become ecstatic

At a local garden store at a time of year when one searches for such things, in a bin of small decorative gourds I met my subject. I knew from the first moment I would have to create its portrait. I began drawing in colored pencil but upon completion and much consideration I felt the moody quality I saw in the subject would be better achieved by adopting a style reminiscent of early twentieth century black-and-white photography. Using the silvery tones of graphite, I sought a timeless appearance more closely resembling marble sculpture. The name of the piece was given by my husband who, upon seeing it when finished, said it made him think of the word swoon as it was a near-homophone of swan, which he said the long, graceful neck of the gourd resembled and swoon as its ecstatic sigh.

Next Story

Back to List

Read more about this artist's work: 23rd Annual