My grandmother Elvira with my mom
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2017
As the holidays approach, I've been thinking a lot about family and the foods of holidays past. Thanksgiving memories of my grandmother's pies, breaded cauliflower, my mom's cranberry sauce. Christmas memories of all sorts of fancy cookies that both my mom and grandmother would spend days baking. Homemade ravioli and stuffed artichokes at Easter. Birthday candles on top of my mom's cheesecake. Growing up, special occasions meant special food. This series of paintings was done in honor of my late mother and grandmother in recognition of their generous, giving spirits. I chose foods that remind me of the wonderful meals that came out of their kitchens, not just during the holidays but year round. I'm calling this project Elvira's Kitchen, because when my mom was little their family lived near railroad tracks and their address became known to the vagabonds traveling by boxcar. They would show up at their backdoor knowing that they could get a good meal from a lady named Elvira. My grandmother couldn't imagine people being hungry so she always gave them what she had. She grew up during the depression and though poor, she says that they always managed to have food on the table. In an effort to make food available to more people during this holiday season, this series of paintings was available to bid on through EBay during the week of Thanksgiving. 11/28/17 - Thank you for to everyone who placed a bid on my paintings! I'm so thankful that this project was a success. We raised $865 and these four paintings and another $200 on a commission that was the result of this project for a total of $1065! 100% of the sales will be donated to the the RI Community Food Bank whose mission is to "To improve the quality of life for all Rhode Islanders by advancing solutions to the problem of hunger." Please visit their website to learn more about their work. |
Peppers and Eggs - 8" x 8" oil on canvas, framed
One of my favorite sandwiches that both my grandmother and mom would make for me was peppers and eggs with a little bit of curry on toasted bread. Eggs were a staple in our kitchen. Of course they were scrambled, hard boiled and sunny side up, but they were also mixed into countless cookie batters and the basis of my mom's cream puffs and cheesecake. Eggs were scrambled over not just peppers but also asparagus and zucchini, cooked in tomato sauce and served with bread, and cracked over steaming pasta with a little butter and parmesan cheese.
One of my favorite sandwiches that both my grandmother and mom would make for me was peppers and eggs with a little bit of curry on toasted bread. Eggs were a staple in our kitchen. Of course they were scrambled, hard boiled and sunny side up, but they were also mixed into countless cookie batters and the basis of my mom's cream puffs and cheesecake. Eggs were scrambled over not just peppers but also asparagus and zucchini, cooked in tomato sauce and served with bread, and cracked over steaming pasta with a little butter and parmesan cheese.
Apples - 8" x 8" oil on canvas, framed
My grandmother worked in a produce market before she was married. Numerous times as I grew up, she told me stories about working there. She often mentioned how cold her hands would get handling the wet produce and how she also made pies for the market. They paid her 10 cents per pie! Throughout her lifetime, she baked hundreds of pies for her family and friends. She taught me how to make a pie and how to hold a pairing knife so that you could peel an apple in one continuous peel. A few years before she died, she came home from the grocery store and could not believe the price of apples. Every time I buy an apple I think about my grandmother. The privilege of buying organic apples at today's prices is not lost on me.
My grandmother worked in a produce market before she was married. Numerous times as I grew up, she told me stories about working there. She often mentioned how cold her hands would get handling the wet produce and how she also made pies for the market. They paid her 10 cents per pie! Throughout her lifetime, she baked hundreds of pies for her family and friends. She taught me how to make a pie and how to hold a pairing knife so that you could peel an apple in one continuous peel. A few years before she died, she came home from the grocery store and could not believe the price of apples. Every time I buy an apple I think about my grandmother. The privilege of buying organic apples at today's prices is not lost on me.
Artichokes - 8" x 8" oil on canvas, framed
Every Easter for as long as I can remember we have had homemade ravioli and stuffed artichokes. The ravioli take so long to make, we always prepare them a few days in advance and then freeze them. The last few years my mom has not been able to help make the ravioli but my brother, sister and I have continued to make them with the help of our kids. After spending so much time preparing a special meal my mom liked us to stay at the table for as long as possible. That's the roll of the artichoke. I think she loved the fact that they take so long to eat.
Every Easter for as long as I can remember we have had homemade ravioli and stuffed artichokes. The ravioli take so long to make, we always prepare them a few days in advance and then freeze them. The last few years my mom has not been able to help make the ravioli but my brother, sister and I have continued to make them with the help of our kids. After spending so much time preparing a special meal my mom liked us to stay at the table for as long as possible. That's the roll of the artichoke. I think she loved the fact that they take so long to eat.
Tomatoes - 8"x 8" oil on canvas, framed
Most of my favorite dishes that my mom would serve involved tomato sauce. My dad always grew tomatoes in our garden and he loved them so much he would pick a ripe one off the plant and eat it there in the garden. My mom's tomato sauce however never came from our garden. It would start with a can of Hunt's tomatoes and then the rest is a mystery that I wish I could solve. I've never been able to make meatballs that taste like hers and they were a big component of her sauce that would simmer on the stove top for hours.
Most of my favorite dishes that my mom would serve involved tomato sauce. My dad always grew tomatoes in our garden and he loved them so much he would pick a ripe one off the plant and eat it there in the garden. My mom's tomato sauce however never came from our garden. It would start with a can of Hunt's tomatoes and then the rest is a mystery that I wish I could solve. I've never been able to make meatballs that taste like hers and they were a big component of her sauce that would simmer on the stove top for hours.