"Taste of Summer" is now available

"Taste of Summer"- 18x24 Original Oil painting

I know that summer is here when I see those large bins of watermelon available at the grocery store.  I'm not talking about the sad selection that we had all winter, but piles of beautiful round, sweet melons.  Cutting into that first melon of the summer is pure joy. 

And of course what is summer without pitchers of fresh squeezed lemonade.  That frosty tangy sweetness is the answer to a hot summer afternoon and believe me when I say that in Las Vegas we know HOT! 

Yes, it is the fruit that I look forward to in the summer.  All winter we have endured a limited selection of apples, oranges and bananas but now we have beautiful berries and melons to add to our culinary delights.  I hope this painting makes you want to grab a straw and enjoy the "Taste of Summer".

This piece was painting in my Las Vegas studio.  The original is currently hanging at The City of the World Gallery at 1229 S. Casino Center Blvd where I have a number of my pieces hanging.  If your interested in the original you can contact me directly and if you would like to consider ordering a print you can find it available at http://fineartamerica.com/featured/taste-of-summer-julie-townsend.html

What is your favorite summer fruit?

One of the many things that stand out in my mind when I think of summer is all the wonderful fruits that are in season, especially watermelon.  I try to buy one a week because there is just something refreshing about cold sweet watermelon on a hot summer day and in Las Vegas the word HOT is an understatement.  So when the City of the World Gallery that I am part of announced a summer art contest amongst the artists for the month of August this idea of a colorful pile of lemons and berries along with beautiful sliced watermelon came to mind.  I decided to add the blue straw to composition and title this piece "Taste of Summer".

It's a big change from my normal gold prospector or Nevada landscape but it was a lot of fun.  I don't think I have used so much yellow on one palette before.  I hope you enjoy the piece and I encourage you to come stop by the gallery on the corner of Casino Center and Colorado for next weeks "First Friday".  I'm sure there will be some great SUMMER art to see and you can probably find a cold glass of lemonade to enjoy.

TASTE OF SUMMER- 18x24 Original Oil Painting