Artful Food

Put your art-buying money where your heart is, into food-themed paintings. We encountered this Seattle-based artist a while back, always on a search for the next Pierre Bonnard... In fact we are always in search of artists depicting food plants, dishes, farming, gardening, and food preparation.

( Bonnard's paintings often featured people eating, or settings in which they were about to eat or had just eaten...)

Patianne Stevenson says she has a passion for "all thing kitchen." Explore her work and see what you think.

NEW INFO added July 27: We emailed Patianne to get more background about what she does and why she does it. ( Among other things, she does art on commission.) Here's her response:

"I am a true  foodie. I love the quote you use on the Museum website from M.F.K. Fisher.  I  actually have it  written on the project board in my studio, along with another favorite quote from Alan Richman:  "Food is life. The rest is parsley."  He is also one of my favorite food writers.  However, I may have to change it to "Food is Life. The rest is art!" I think he will forgive me.

I not only visit restaurants with a camera which usually draws polite "pretending not to notice" stares,  I also create, make and/ or bake my own subjects. After all, that's the way to get the  picture perfect  subject!  I have to admit though,  I purchase some subjects.. for instance petits fours and sushi.  We have Shiro's in Seattle: the most beautiful sushi in the world.  So I leave it to the experts.

My commission clients often immortalize their family recipes and favorite specialties.  These are usually site specific, and live anywhere from above the sink to that little slice of wall space between the counter and the cabinet.  The piece you featured on your site was also featured on a Seattle Interiors TV Magazine, happily living in an Asian inspired kitchen. But I think food is beautiful,  and does not have to be limited to the kitchen.  I have food paintings hanging everywhere in my own home.  Friends always say they leave my house craving.....(fill in the blank!). Anything from cupcakes and sushi to hamburgers and fries, even if they came for dinner."

Comments

[Vivian Coles]

What a terrific painting and delightful interview!! I love the quotes that Pattianne references. Such enthusiasm for food, me too! Thanks for finding this artwork!!

[Foodie]

Yes, Vivian--the enthusiasm comes through, doesn't it? And the sense that food matters enough to be a worthy subject of artistic interpretation.