STORY BEHIND THE ART OF Sandy Morrison
25th Annual International
American Society of Botanical Artists and Wave Hill
An Ode to Red
Allium cepa
Throughout the shorter days of fall, the onions I planted in early spring continue to thrive and grow, barely showing signs of drying. The red onions stand tall and I wait for their bluish-green tops to wilt. They instead continue to migrate upward, the long fanning basal leaves revealing vibrant colors of burgundy reds amongst various greens and creams; and single bulbs in some onions multiply by two or three.
After pulling my onions during harvest time, I leave them lying in the garden to dry until they are cured enough to gather for storage. As they lie there under the rays of the sun, I find their tangled tops spilling haphazardly over one another— sprawling everywhere while the deep red bulbs weigh heavily on the ground. Life and energy continuing to emanate from them even after being uprooted from the earth. A vibrant and vivacious bounty waiting to be captured on paper! That was my inspiration.
The bulb onion or common onion, Allium cepa is a biennial or perennial plant and is usually grown as an annual for the bulb. Records from ancient Egypt reveal a story of the simple onion being used to bring life back to a pharaoh’s sick child. To the Egyptians, the circular layers within the flesh of the bulb represented eternal life. It was this plant that held symbolic importance in Egyptian art and various ceremonies.
In this composition, I chose to represent Allium cepa in its entirety. The sum of all its parts was essential to include in this colored pencil work to capture the life and vitality evident in its form. I used complementary colors, linear work, and negative space to create tension and rhythm. I built up multiple layers of wax and oil colored pencil using very light applications to create the range and depth of color.
As months went by, the vibrant onion bulb I initially used as my inspiration and reference slowly became dehydrated, and at the completion of my piece, I was left with an empty, lifeless shell. Hence, An Ode to Red, the title of my work..
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