Saturday, 23 March 2013

Lamington on Doily

                                          Acrylic on board  6" x 6"

I very nearly ate the main attraction in this still-life before I could paint it. I confess I did eat just a sliver after cutting it in half. For a while I thought I'd discovered a fail-safe tool to enable me to loosen up my style and paint quickly. I was itching to eat it, but even with that motivation I still couldn't manage the elusive speed and looseness I was after. I began the painting on Tuesday, got back to it on Thursday and finished it on Saturday. Of course by the end, eating it was the last thing I wanted to do (it had dried up and practically  grown legs!).

For those that don't know, lamingtons are an Australian cake and were popular for fundraising in the form of "lamington drives" for schools and other organisations. I have special memories of Mum making batches of them when I was a child and of me helping to coat them in coconut. This specimen was bought from the local bakery - I'm not much of a baker I'm afraid.

Just as an aside - after whining so much about never seeing Twenty Eight Parrots anymore, this morning I was excited to hear their distinctive trill. I grabbed my camera (the one I still haven't learnt to use) and managed to catch a very poor snap of two in the tree out the front. Can you spot them?




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20 comments:

  1. Darla McDowell23 March 2013 at 21:14

    This is a beautiful painting, Wendy. And a beautiful photograph, too. Both are a treat for the eyes. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Wendy Barrett26 March 2013 at 06:06

      Thanks Darla, I always appreciate your visits to my blog!

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  2. art by Michael Perchard24 March 2013 at 08:13

    Wow! Wendy! I thought the lamington cake painting was a photograph of a cake! Excited to read on it was a photo of a painting! Bravo! So very well done! A very beautiful painting! Great skill! I am amazed and thrilled you are able to get all the wonderful art on such a small surface! Bravo!
    Thanks for the information about the lamington cakes! Thank you "Mum" for the great memories! I can almost smell their goodness way up here in North East USA! Mmmmm!
    I love, love the parrots! I did see them! I enlarged your photo and was able to see two beautiful parrots very well! Welcome home "Twenty Eight Parrots!" (Wendy, why are they referred to as "Twenty Eight Parrots?"
    Take care Cobber!
    Michael

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    1. Wendy Barrett26 March 2013 at 06:28

      Thanks for the rave reviews Michael! - it's gone to my head!
      "Twenty Eight" is the common name for an Australian Ring Neck Parrot from the genus Barnardius (I had to look that up for you!). The name comes from the call it makes - it sounds a bit like the word twenty eight.
      Wendy

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  3. Celia Blanco24 March 2013 at 09:12

    Hi Wendy, your painting is good enough to eat!You have done an excellent job, even if I am not familiar with this cake. Beautiful birds in your area, you were quick to snap the photo in time.

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    1. Wendy Barrett26 March 2013 at 06:30

      Thanks Celia, yes they didn't hang around for long unfortunately. What sort of birds do you have in Rome?

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  4. Virginia Floyd24 March 2013 at 10:24

    The cake looks yummy. Lots of detail in that doily. Hard do to loosely. Nice job on the fork, too.

    I enjoyed reading about the cake making with your mom. I wouldn't have known what it was without your story. Our schools have fund raisers too, and they call them Cake Walks.

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    1. Wendy Barrett26 March 2013 at 06:42

      Thanks Virginia, It's so nice to have you visiting my blog. I had only previously heard of "cake walk" in the context of something being easy, so I guess that's where the the term came from? I wonder how it would be received if I started saying "Oh, that would be a lamington drive!"

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  5. Anonymous24 March 2013 at 20:20

    Wow, I like this painting, Wendy. It's also looking very tasty!!

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    1. Wendy Barrett26 March 2013 at 06:44

      Thankyou Hilje! I'm sure it would have been tasty but I never got to find out, it was as stiff as a board by the time I finished. I have a friend coming to visit tomorrow for morning tea who is partial to lamingtons so I will have to buy some in!

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  6. Barbara25 March 2013 at 07:19

    Great work Wendy! Keep the paintings coming!

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    1. Wendy Barrett26 March 2013 at 06:56

      Thanks Barbara, so nice to see you here! Will have to get a snap of your cats!

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  7. Jane25 March 2013 at 13:21

    I think you were very brave to paint this cake before eating it... looks delicious...very well done, so realistic ! And yes, I spotted the two parrots, how lovely to see them like this free and sitting in a tree :-)

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    1. Wendy Barrett26 March 2013 at 06:48

      Thanks Jane, Yes it is a common sight to see many different parrots around the place - they are beautiful birds and very entertaining.

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  8. Unknown25 March 2013 at 15:18

    Yes, there they are! I do see them. so fun to have a parrot land in your tree outside your window...ahhh Australia. and mmmmmmmmm lamingtons, i love them! You have done a superb job on this painting!

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    1. Wendy Barrett26 March 2013 at 06:55

      Thank you so much Sally! I'm glad my post has brought back some nice memories for you.

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  9. Helen Cooper27 March 2013 at 01:57

    Fantastic painting Wendy ! Ahhhh lamingtons they certainly are delicious and they make me think of my childhood too! I cam almost taste the coconut and chocolate.....not to mention the bit of jam in the middle........yum! Excellent job on the doily too!

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    1. Wendy Barrett27 March 2013 at 18:41

      Thanks so much Helen. I must admit that I invented the jam because the lamington I bought that day was bereft of embellishment. I prefer them with jam - and cream makes them even more divine!

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  10. Susan29 March 2013 at 19:44

    I have never had one but , judging from your lovely painting they must be delicious!

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  11. Wendy Barrett30 March 2013 at 07:54

    Thanks Susan, Lovely to have you visiting my blog with such a nice comment.

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