Asparagus - Watercolor painting
March 1st, 2007
Asparagus 9 x 12 - 100 lb. paper
From my sketchbook …. When asparagus shows up in stores it’s a sure sign of spring, even if it comes from Chile or who knows where. My dear husband knows how much I love the vegetable and when it appears for a good price at Trader Joe’s or one of our other local markets, he brings it home when he’s out doing errands. I like it simply prepared, like most of the fresh vegetables we enjoy around here. Steamed or microwaved briefly, with a little butter and salt.
This was painted directly with ink and brush and watercolor. Simple and quick, just like asparagus should be prepared.
I don’t like asparagus, but I love your painting!
Nice to know there’s another asparagus addict on EDM! Last year I had to go to Ireland with a suitcase full so my kids culd get their fill before the season was over. Ours tends to be white (they bury it so it won’t turn green), which is tastier, but the green are much prettier. This is a lovely painting - thanks for posting it.
Now those are kids who like vegetables, Casey! I haven’t had the blanched asparagus but I’ll have to try it some day. My mother tended to cook vegetables for a very long time - like 40 minutes or so for green beans and asparagus probably for 10 or more. As a result I never liked vegetables growing up. Imagine my surprise as an adult to discover stir-fry and crisp-tender. There are very few few vegetables I don’t care for - brussels sprouts and turnips being at the top of the list.
It’s time for me to get the vegetable beds going …
Your sketch is making my mouth water. Lovely! I don’t have “sparrowgrass” often, but I do like it - just the way you describe.
It certainly feels like spring here in Ely today. I took an hour-and-a-half walk in the early morning sunshine with my daughter in her pushchair. Didn’t get the chance to sketch but I soaked it all in for another day.
Karen,
I love this painting. So loose and yet perfect to make the aspargus look good enough to eat.
From the US to Australia, across the world, Mothers traditionally boiled those poor greens to death! I’m mad about asparagus, lightly cooked with butter, cracked pepper and (of course) finely grated Parmesan cheese. Beautiful watercolour, Karen!
My favortie veggie! I could eat it in the spring for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Great painting.
Chris
Oh yeah — another asparagus lover here! But I love mine steamed just barely and then skimmed over with melted butter (REAL butter) and lemon. Then it is so good you just HAVE to eat it with you fingers! Great sketch, Karen!
Asparagus was my standard “fancy appetizer” dish to serve to special friends. Blanched, cut into inch-long bits, with butter and large-grain Kosher/sea salt, there’s nothing better!
Asparagus Risotto is always a crowd-pleaser too, with lemon of course.
yum!
Oh yum. As if the painting weren’t wonderful enough, all this talk of the real vegetable! I haven’t been cooking lately (yes, shame on me!), but I’ve been enjoying them out and about either stir-fried with chicken or in omlettes (with hearty whole-wheat toast. Mmmm). Lovely quick painting, Karen!
My word, lots of asparagus lovers have responded, and yes, it’s a bright juicy kind of picture.
There’s a Fiji asparagus, called ‘duruka’ more like a flower, soft, delicate and cooked in coconut cream. Our mothers DID boil vegetables to death didn’t they!
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Very charming sketch, Karen. It’s making me hungry, sure sign of success when it comes to food art, right?
–Joanne
Lovely and loose painting perfectly suited for such a divine vegie!! I have an old cookbook from my grandmother - published in 1898 - and it DOES actually say to bring the vegetables and water to a full rolling boil and cook for about 40 minutes - oh Yuck!
Yum to both the painting and the asparagus. At my grandmother’s ranch it grew wild along the artesian waterway. (In dry New Mexico) We would ride working cattle all day and stop and cut some fresh and blanch and eat with butter and salt and pepper. Ohhhhh, I’m so hungry and missing the ranch. Thanks for sharing your veggies.
Jo
Makes me want to have one. Now!
we had asparagus for dinner. cute coincidence.
I think I should lay out some carrots and paint them (now that I’ve eaten the asparagus) (:
I love asparagus too - cute painting!
I love your work, very loose. Do you do a whole series of vegetables?