Description
My inspiration for this painting ‘Olives, Zizyphus and Oranges’ is my love of growing, foraging and preserving food.
As a child in a family of 8 children I have wonderful memories of jam and sauce making.
We children helped with the cutting up of tomatoes, apricots and plums. The particular fruit would be placed in a very large pot, with either sugar, spices or salt added and left to steep overnight.
The sweet smell of jam cooking invokes in me a sense of the security of childhood.
I have inherited this love of preserving food. However, due to the influence of time and other cultures, my methods and choice of preserving method can vary.
The painting depicts olives that I have foraged and pickled, and home grown oranges that have been dried, as well as lemons. The small fruit in front is Zizyphus jujube. It is used in tincture form for anxiety and insomnia, and in fruit form as a laxative.