Pumpkin 2003

Nelson Shanks’ "Pumpkin" is a still life painting which captures the humble beauty of a pumpkin with remarkable detail. Imagine Shanks in his studio, carefully observing the play of light and shadow on the pumpkin's surface. You can almost feel the weight and texture of it, sitting on a paint splattered stool. The orange is so vivid, built up with layers of glazes that create a luminous, almost palpable form. I bet he spent time considering how to capture the way the pumpkin seems to glow from within! It’s tempting to think about the historical tradition of still life painting, from Chardin to Cezanne, and how Shanks participates in that lineage while bringing his own contemporary sensibility to it. I see it as a conversation across generations, each artist finding new ways to explore the endless possibilities of paint and perception.