Changing direction

I've been invited to have a solo show at the Laura Moore Fine Arts Studio in McKinney Texas this fall.  Texas being...well, you know...Texas, it is time to begin thinking large, and not small.  I hope to have six to ten new paintings completed for the show by the end of the summer, and to get started, the following 24x36" canvas is on the easel.

Work in progress...1

Work in progress...2

4-25...Farfalle w broccoli and scallops in wine,lemon, butter sauce

INGREDIENTS:

Farfalle pasta

Broccoli florets

Sea scallops

Olive oil

Butter

Garlic and shallots

Dry white wine

Fresh dill4-25…Farfalle with broccoli and sea scallops in a light cream, butter, lemon, and wine sauce.

Whipping cream

Fresh lemon juice

PROCESS:

Sauté the garlic and shallots in olive oil with red pepper flakes until soft.  Add the broccoli, scallops, butter, and dill, and cook uncovered over low-medium heat for about 5 minutes before adding the wine (1/4 cup) and lemon juice.  Continue cooking un-covered until the wine cooks off.  Add the cream and butter and stir frequently.

 

When the pasta is ready add it to the pan, mix well – as opposed to mixing not well – and serve.

COMMENTS:

This was wonderful…I’m such a good cook…tra lala lala…and the humility gods will strike me down tomorrow.  Seriously, this was good.  The tricky thing is timing the sauce so it doesn’t sit around to long waiting for the pasta.

This and That

In case you missed the announcement, the entire Barns & Farms show can now be seen on my website.

 The year of pasta is almost over, although I haven't been posting as many meals since there have been more repeat dishes.  The idea of putting it all together in a book form is still bouncing around in my head; I've already done an abbreviated version to get a feel for the project.  Still undecided is the issue of ingredient amounts as well as other specific prep and cooking instructions.  I've been telling myself the reason I have not done this is because it is the way my mother cooked, but I'm not so sure that there is an element of laziness in my reasoning.

It is official, I will be having a solo show of works on canvas in McKinney Texas this fall, which means it is time to move from small to large.  The gallery has already selected 6 paintings, including 3 of my larger pieces (48x60").  I have about 3-4 months to complete at least 6 more canvases.  This will be a departure from the recent small drawings and paintings, which I intend to continue doing.

The Old house...acrylic on canvas...24x48".  Recently re-worked foreground.

Marking my time with markers

In the course of the normal ebb and flow of life in the studio, I find my ambition, enthusiasm, and focus are at one of their periodic low points, not unusual after completing a recent large project.  Fortunately I can usually find things to do to prevent complete boredom, desk work, cleaning, organizing files, and other busy work.  Much to my delight I can add small scale drawing to that list.  Working with pencils, pen and ink, and markers requires no prep time, does not require a major time commitment, and provides instant gratification and satisfaction. 

the Yeiser...16x12

  Mother D's...10x5

Plant world...6x8

4-22…pasta with sun dried tomato pesto and arugula

Tonight I will depart from my usual routine and provide some measurements for the ingredients used.  I think I can do that without inhibiting the “creative flow”.

 A few months ago I picked up an envelope of dried chopped tomatoes, thinking one day I would try them in place of my usual sun dried tomatoes in oil.  Well tonight is the night.

INGREDIENTS:

Al Dente brand Fiesta fettucine

Dried chopped tomatoes – 3 oz.

Fresh oregano, chopped  - 1 tablespoon

Juice from ½ lemon

Red Pepper flakes, about ¼ tablespoon

Olive oil – ¼ to 1/3 cup

Garlic  - 1 medium clove

PROCESS:

Rehydrate the tomatoes by placing them in a bowl, covering them with boiling water, and letting them sit for 2-3 minutes.  Drain them and place in a blender or food processer.  Add the oregano, lemon juice, garlic, and red pepper flakes plus the olive oil and pulse to a creamy consistency.

Mix the pesto and the arugula into the pasta, adding about 1/3 cup of pasta water if necessary, drizzle with olive oil and serve.  Salt and pepper to taste.

COMMENTS:

This dish could have been a ten, but because I put too much pesto on the pasta, the flavor was a bit overwhelming.  Use the pesto sparingly and you will end up with a ten.

SECOND THOUGHTS

Three years ago I completed this 20x30 canvas, painting over a previous "failed" painting.  It has been on and off the walls of the gallery and studio since then, gathering minimum attention.

 It wasn't until 3 or 4 weeks ago that I realized what a compositional blunder I created...four almost equal horizontal bands across the canvas.  I don't understand why it took me so long to see this.  In order to create something more interesting to the eye I've broken the horizontals with one dominant vertical, and will look at it for awhile to determine if it needs even more.  I'm thinking it needs something more in the lower right foreground.

4-19…Farfalle with shrimp, asparagus, and ramps

Several days ago I did not know what a ramp was, and tonight I’m cooking with them.

(From Wikipedia…·  Allium tricoccum, also called ramp, a species of edible wild onion or leek native to eastern North America)

Lisa, last night’s dinner guest, supplied the ramps and I decided to try them out with shrimp and asparagus in a very light, creamy, lemon-butter sauce.  I added a bit of sundried tomatoes for a little color and added flavor.

 INGREDIENTS:

Farfalle pasta

Ramps, cut crosswise

Sun dried cherry tomatoes in oil

Shrimp

Asparagus

Olive oil

Fresh Dill

Butter

Fresh lemon juice

Heavy whipping cream

PROCESS:

Cook the ramps in olive oil until soft, and then add the asparagus, dill, and tomatoes.  Cook for about 7-10 minutes then add the shrimp, butter, and dill.  When the shrimp is almost cooked through add the cream and stir frequently.

Add the pasta to the pan, mix well, and enjoy.

COMMENTS:

What a great meal, and without any garlic or onions!  The ramps bring a flavor that combines both ingredients, but with a taste of its own.

Sadly, they cannot be found in our local markets; these came from Louisville.