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A fruit bowl, a flower vase, or a violin on the chair– all sound like ideal examples of still life art. While the artistic impression is not bound by stillness, the absence of noise makes one question the fragility of human life. The moment captured on the canvas gives form and symbol to fleeting time wrapped in different shades. It begins with fruits and flowers, ultimately paving the way for the candle’s flickering to illuminate the dark room with the artist’s strokes and let the world dive into life’s reality without drowning.
Unlike other art forms which primarily focus on life, art collectors love the timeless representation of the world through still life artworks. Yet, this art form hardly gets any attention from all the annual drawings competitions. It makes investors skeptical about its future, which is presumably unclear according to few.
But that’s not the case.
Still Life: The Emerging Contemporary Artform
Anyone new to art landscapes may believe still life art is a not-so-popular work area, except it’s not. The art form is equally relevant today as it was centuries ago when Egyptians were busy painting crops, fish, and meat. Romans and Greeks were next on the list to pick up still life subjects on Frescoes and Mosaics to middle age artists using still life to give artistic depictions to the religious excerpts. Nonetheless, the renaissance became a breakthrough point in its evolution, making that timeless art still relevant today.
Perhaps, ‘memento mori’, a Latin phrase literally meaning– remember that you have to die, was given an artistic image with a pair of cut flowers, overturned hourglass, waning candles, and human skulls. What began as an untimely saga of worldly pleasures and goods, surpassing multiple eras and periods, today stands as an experimentation model for contemporary artists to try out new themes and ideas.
Therefore, ‘how relevant is still life art today’ is an irrelevant question based on the paradoxes of unknown years.
The Palette of Still life Art
Apples, wine bottles, flowers– is that all on the palette? Nope! Still life art is an aesthetic impression of every object that speaks of silent haze in the human world, creating balance and harmony. Attention to detail and realistic representation of calmness further adds depth and dimension to the artwork. Whether you are an artist or collector, investing your time and money into any of the following types of Still life artworks is worth every second and cent:
Floral Still Life Art
Anuttama Chakraborty
White lilies | Watercolor | INDIA
Nature is an indefinite source of artistic expression. Look anywhere around you; it all ends at a dance of color and light. Whether the symphony inspires an artist to caress the bloom softly with a brush or challenges a photographer to capture the essence of vitality without letting time dwindle the lens, floral still life art is a timeless classic.
This watercolor painting invigorates the white lilies to smile in the sunshine. It beautifully catches the ruffles of flowers, adding depth to the expression.
Food Still Life Art
Luis F. Perez
Privileged Food 2 | Watercolor | USA
When an artist’s brush or camera moves to bring the food on the table alive on canvas or frame, the mouthwatering taste of fruits, vegetables, meat, and cheese tantalizes the viewer's senses. The masterful use of technique and attention to intricate details adds depth to every still life element, giving subtle aromas a rich texture; making flavors irresistible.
Whether it is a celebration of nature’s elements or a desire to display a thought, the interplay of different artistic themes definitely stirs one’s appetite for food. The same goes for this watercolor still life painting which invites us to look at this breakfast bowl of berries, finely cut apples, and oranges as a wish for somebody.
Modern Still Life Art
Jeff Warren
Cornography | Oil | USA
Modern still life art is anything but monotonous. Surrounded by a dynamic world, artists can capture anything from everyday objects to a closed barber shop. The opportunities in this genre are endless. It gives an artist ample room for creativity to reflect their desires, aspirations, and fears with their artwork. The best part about modern art is that it allows every art lover to think beyond, challenge the accepted norms, experiment, and create a masterpiece.
This oil painting deserves an ideal example where an artist’s fine attention to detail collides with everyday objects and piques everyone’s curiosity.
And the list goes on!
There are numerous possibilities in still life art, allowing artists to freely express their vision and explore the world with artistic hues and glimpses
TERAVARNA’s 5th Still Life International Juried Art Competition
With a mission to empower all emerging artists to showcase their artworks and gain international exposure, TERAVARNA announces its 5th Still Life International Juried Art Competition. Visual artists from all corners of the world can submit their artwork and get a chance to win cash prizes.
Whether your muse is photography and digital or painting and mixed media, you can showcase your artwork to the world. For more information on participation and submission details, click here.
Our International Art Gallery awaits your artwork to let the world see life through your patterns and pictures. Send us your artwork and win a chance to enter into the universe of colorful plays of artists from all cities of this world.