By Annie Salness Artist | June 29, 2018
For my 2018 calendar, I invited art friends and colleagues to contribute their favorite FLAVOR combination, along with a recipe and a story. I received 12 great combos and I used the ingredients for my inspiration.
This month I’m featuring a story and recipe (Cucumber Salad) from artist Carol Marine. It's a perfect dish for July 4th gatherings--cool and refreshing!
So, for this painting, I started with a still life of a lovely red radish in a glass. I didn't know what I wanted to do with the cucumber... then an artist friend suggested that I place a slice of cucumber on the side of the glass—BRILLIANT! Just another example of how important it is for us artists to support each other!
"Cucumber Salad" 12x12x1, acrylic on cradled panel, $285
Carol's story
Lately, I’ve been finding all my recipes on Pinterest. As a visual person, I like to see what food will look like before I make it. This is a particularly beautiful recipe AND really good— a win-win! The only downside is that it really doesn’t last in the fridge, so it needs to be prepared and consumed in one go. But it’s so good you won’t have any trouble with this! —Carol Marine, www.carolmarine.com
Carol's Cucumber Salad 1 lb. thin-skinned, mild cucumbers, sliced thinly
1/4 red onion, sliced thinly and cut into 1-inch segment
s2 or 3 radishes, sliced thinly
10 mint leaves, sliced thinly
White vinegar
Olive oil
1/4 lb. feta cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper
In a medium bowl, toss together the cucumbers, onion, radishes, mint, with a little bit of vinegar and oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Right before serving, sprinkle on the feta. Serve immediately. (Serves 4)
Calendar Contributor Spotlight
I had been following Carol's artwork online for years. I got to meet her and her husband, David, right after they moved to Eugene from Texas. I took a fantastic five-day, workshop from her three years ago, and I still use my notes! She's written several books, and all but one include her art. I really recommend her book Daily Painting. As you can see from my dog-eared copy below, I've referred to it countless times.
She and her husband run Daily Paintworks, which is an online site that gives artists a place to display work (yours truly has several paintings on display) and ArtBytes, a library of short, affordable art tutorials for artists; and also a place for art collectors to buy.
I love Carol's spirit of growing and experimenting and being a perpetual learner. She's so inspiring to me!
This book is a great investment for any artist who wants to paint more.
Read about Carol's interesting journey and take a peek at her beautiful artwork here!
