Autumn Reflections: "still life with pumpkin."

As fall's chill settles over Philadelphia, I find myself revisiting an unfinished painting from my UArts days in the '90s - "still life with pumpkin."

Unlike my usual subjects of blurred memories and grainy dreams, this piece captures a tangible moment. A vibrant orange pumpkin takes center stage, its form rendered in warm terracotta hues. Beside it sits a deep umber earthenware pot, home to my unfortunate and sad ivy plant. What remains of its green tendrils clinging to life, creating a poignant contrast to the pumpkin's vitality.

The painting's unfinished state now seems oddly fitting. Like memory itself, it's incomplete, leaving room for imagination. As I study the brushstrokes, I'm transported back to late nights in the UArts studio, the scent of linseed oil in the air.

This unexpected glimpse into my past reminds me of art's power to encapsulate moments and emotions. As autumn embraces Philadelphia once more, I'm grateful for this tangible link to my younger self - a "still life with pumpkin." that's anything but still in the memories it evokes.