Sitter for a Day

‘Sitter for a Day’ is a series of small format still life paintings about mundane things that take for once the center stage revealing their own way of sorting light and dividing space. In other words, revealing their own character and making our home the way it is.

Croissant au Beurre

2022, Acrylic on canvas, 24x18cm hardboard

A new year is about to greet us around the corner, on the next crosswalk. As I walk towards it, I stop by a bakery on the way to admire the kind-looking croissants in its window and I find myself wondering: 'The new year I'm about to greet back, will it be smilingly light-hearted or cynically moody?' In an attempt to buy a bit of time to think before I face the new year, I enter the bakery and ask the young man behind the counter for a croissant. He asks me 'Croissant au beurre?' and I wonder if I have the choice to ask for the new year to be made out of an indulgent and merciful amount of butter, just for it to taste a little better and build a little warm layer around my soul. 'Oui, au beurre' I answer.

I walk out of the bakery with a 'croissant au beurre' in hand and remind myself that I am a flaneur at heart, letting the feet and not the head walk me through life.

So, here is to whatever comes around the corner and to the little things that make any encounter a little warmhearted. Which makes me think, that I'll go back to the bakery and order a second croissant. Whoever comes around the corner, might need it as well. (28.12.2021)

Flowers from Marktgasse (sold)

2022, acrylic on hardboard, 30x30cm

There is a florist in Zurich that used to be a pharmacy probably in the 1930' or 50' (wild guess) and has kept its carved wooden interior. Opening its door is always followed by a step into a world of color treasures, kind smells and a sinfonie of elegant shapes.
While waking through the old town last Saturday, we passed by there and admired the flowers. A place to visit until spring arrives.

The Poet’s Nap

2022. Acrylic on hardboard, 24x24cm

The Letter Opener

2022 Acrylic on canvas 18x24cm hardboard

I confess I'm doing my best to stick to the format of the daily painting exercise (pick a mundane object, finish after 30 minutes and paint every day) but deviations are absolutely necessary, trust me. This letter opener, a completely mundane object, right? Who doesn't open its letters with Tutankhamun's sarcophagus? You don't???? (Just kidding). Most of you probably don't even get that much letters anymore. I know, I am old school. The truth is that the underlying reason for this painting has a lot to do with some of the greatest detective novels. This painting actually embodies my excitement for the ( hopefully soon) release of Agatha Christie's film 'Death on the Nile'. Only a few weeks to go!!! (5.1.2022)

The Brush

2022, acrylic on hardboard, 24x30cm

My good old brush, shore to a sea of color. This painting is very symbolic for me and probably for painters in general. It is not only about a painter's tool but also how painting is about transforming space. The brush marks the line between the before and the after of painting.

Jumping the fence (sold)

2022, acrylic on hardboard, 24x18cm

A little trip back in time. I am 11 years old and I am walking on the garden towards the fence between my neighbour (and dearest friend) Pati an me. I climb the fence over to her garden to walk straight through the kitchen door. The kitchen is the intelligence center of our summer adventures of the year 1994 (I think). I say hello to her mom and I sit next to Pati on the counter. I turn my head towards the dinning table and there it is: the lemon pie. I cannot tell you how delicious my friend's mother did the lemon pie (and so many more things). The three main ingredients are lemons, Philadelphia cheese and condensed milk. When I see these three things together I am inmediately transported to that kitchen and our plotting book in which we listed our plans to invesigate the mysteries of our neighbourhood during summer. Those summers where just great!!!!

Good morning

2022, acrylic on hardboard, 24x30cm

If you take great pleasure in drinking coffee I can now refrain from trying to describe the effect of the smell of coffee early in the morning. Here is to the simple things in life!

Shallot and Garlic

2022, acrylic on hardboard, 30x30cm

This is a little detour to classical still live painting subjects. Still life paintings are in fact a great way to experiment with composition and observe light. The shallot and the garlic were laying in a tray at my kitchen window. It didn't take me too long to decide to paint them as soon as I saw how beautiful they look under the sunlight. Their round shape makes natural light give them a largevariety of color tones. So for this painting I have decided to focus on 'tecnique' rather than symbolism.
Nevertheless and although I am a much better eater than a cook, the garlic and the shallot have a great meaning to me. Their taste and smell make dishes taste so much better and in fact make me always feel 'at home'.

Saturday Visit at Marktgasse

2022, acrylic on hardboard, 18x24cm

Lady with Petal Hat

2022. Acrylic on hardboard, 18x24cm

To me this is just one half of what is actually happening in this 'scene'. A woman with an oversized pink-lila hat is talking to another woman (in the other none visible side of the scene) with an equally heavy but exhuberant hat at a beautiful garden wedding. Both have prioritized an un-overlookable hat over the comfort of their neck, explaining the slighlty downwards looking posture. Vive l'elegance!