Will I ever get tired of illustrating fruit? Not any time soon. An orangey pink and blue spread of papaya, clementines, dainty flowers, coupe glasses and a bottle of wine. It’s hard to believe it’s been almost a year since I started the Put Out a Spread food illustration series. This is the ninth in…
Read MoreTime to Put Out a Spread
Put Out a Spread is a series of food illustrations that celebrate the relationship between good food and good company. A spread, a charcuterie or grazing board, smorgasbord, whatever you call it, nothing brings together people quite like something to nosh on.
My inspiration for this series came after the pandemic. I may be a self-proclaimed introvert, but no one likes to be alone all of the time. Us homebodies still need people too. Something I yearned for was company, people to cook for, sitting around a table together. My family has a tradition of going out to eat on Friday nights and it’s one of the highlights of my week. Whether we have something to complain about or to celebrate, it’s a consistent opportunity for chatting and eating. Even that was put on hold for a while, relegated to Zoom dinners. I craved seeing people and eating good food. Pretty plates and moody lighting. Eavesdropping on strangers’ conversations. This may be small on the list of grievances over the last few years, but this series is an ode to the meals we gather around and a promise to never take them for granted.
In this series, I’ll feature “spreads” made at home, store-bought, or enjoyed in a restaurant. I hope you’ll join me on this food adventure through pencil, paint, and ink.
