Completed during the 2020 Fall Artist Residency at The TX Studio, the series Bodegón (Still Life) was born out of my take on still life photography influenced by early Spanish painter, Juan Sánchez Cotán. My images are inspired by Cotán’s lighting, framing, and materials. Image titles were created as painters of the 1600s would name their still life work.

As a mother, a lush abundance of foods have always had a deep meaning. From the first drop of breastmilk, the natural instinct is for a mother to feed her child. For my daughter, I will never be able to fill this maternal urge. She will never enjoy the sourness of a lemon, or the sweetness of an apple. This is my connection to the rich emotion found in Cotán’s paintings.

Photograph of Apple, Sage, Radish - from the series Bodegón (Still Life)

Photograph of Carrot, Cow - from the series Bodegón (Still Life)

Photograph of Carrot, Squash, Garlic - from the series Bodegón (Still Life)

Photograph of Collard, Tomato - from the series Bodegón (Still Life)

Photograph of Pomegranate, Buffalo - from the series Bodegón (Still Life)

Photograph of Pear, Lemon - from the series Bodegón (Still Life)