Tim Noxon
Vicki Emlaw
The farm may be called Vicki's Veggies but it's very much a joint operation between this husband and wife team (and a few others who help out/work there from time to time --like Lukas). They've been farming for about ten years (mixed vegetables, heirloom tomatoes, etc.), but Vicki's Veggies is somewhat of a cultural hub in Prince Edward County. When Krista and I moved here a year ago almost everybody we met asked us if we'd been to Vicki's Veggies, so much so, that we found a few free minutes (we were very busy setting up Small Pond Arts, after all) and paid them a visit.
Our visit coincided with their annual Heirloom Tomato Seedling Sale, and we were dumbfounded at the sheer number of different varieties (see a few in this short video clip). We also met Tim and Vicki who, like all of the farmers I met for this project, were incredibly friendly and welcoming. We had now met the Cultural Hub of the County, and we've been friends since. Vicki even helped me flesh out my initial list of potential farmers to paint and locate them on a County map (thanks again, Vicki!).
Vicki's Veggies also offers Veggie Bucks which can be redeemed for amazing vegetables and other great, local food items (like honey from Bay and Gavin) that they stock in their shop. There's so much to say about this concept that you're better off clicking on Veggie Bucks to learn more about it at their own website.
Earlier this spring, we bought a great variety of seeds from Vicki to plant in our garden which we doubled in size from last year. So far, we just have some tiny sprouts, but by midsummer, we'll have a huge smorgasbord for our table.
Here are a few close-up details showing very subtly stylized colour shifts and a textural technique I thought I'd try out with this painting to keep the series fresh and each portrait uniquely different. I was going for a monochromatic effect using non-realistic colours. I would revisit the monochromatic theme more intensely in the portrait of Ed and Sandi Taylor.
Enough abstraction;
here are some ears:
here are some ears:
In case you're wondering about order, I've been posting these portraits in alphabetical order, which includes order of appearance within the paintings themselves, that's why this one is here and not after George Emlaw (Vicki's dad).
Comments