Green Cabbage #2

"Green Cabbage #2" -- plein air field study -- oil on canvas 18x24" 

 

My neighbors, Sue & Shirley, have 3 giant, organic vegetable gardens they call Verdant Ground.  Their cabbages are always so beautiful, I love painting them!  Alas, this summer I had such a busy schedule, it wasn't until mid-September before I took the time to bring my easel over to paint anything.  And I wore long pants, shoes and socks!  Last summer I had a bumblebee crawl up my capri pants and sting in back of my knee.  OWWWW!

The late-afternoon sun hits the leaves at an angle, making the veins seem to glow.  Love that!  

Normally I do plein air paintings in a smaller format, such as 8x10", but because these cabbages are so huge, it seems a shame to restrict them to such a small painting.  And I'd done 2 similarly-sized cabbage paintings here last year.  So I thought it would be good to do them all the same size.  And that means using big brushes and painting as fast as possible!