The still life is one of the most enduring art genres. In both paintings and photography, it has been a favorite form of creative expression for artists for centuries. The still life transforms inanimate objects, usually ordinary items like food, bowls, and tools into works of art by carefully considering their placement within a scene and capturing or painting the image, often with the benefit of dramatic lighting.
During the Renaissance, artists developed a painting technique called Chiaroscuro. Use for both portraits and still life it used bold contrasting colors and dramatic light and shadow to realize compelling works of art. Michelangelo Caravaggio famously used this technique to evaluate ordinary fruit and vases of flowers into stunning compositions.
The still life elevates the mundane. It promotes reflection. It makes an art of the everyday.
Finding stillness is a way of offering oneself grace. It creates a space for the breath, for reflection, for forgiveness. Cultivating stillness for well-being is itself an art form.
Today gather a few of your favorite things and create a still life. Share it with the hashtag #snapwithme2020.