Eggplant Menage a trois

I've been spending lots of the time in the studio this week, painting like crazy in preparation for my two upcoming shows. I'm feeling a little pressure (self-imposed) to finish some new pieces. Or in some cases, finishing some new pieces that were started months ago.

A few weeks ago, I started to work again on two larger eggplant paintings (18x36) that I actually started last August. I worked on them for a month or so last fall and then put them aside as I started working on some winter paintings. (Eggplant-painting season coincides with their appearance at the Farmer's Market typically it seems).

I've always had a vision for how I wanted these two paintings to look. I playfully titled them Menage a Trois. 

My goal this week was to finish them so I could hang them at the Trotter's show. I thought a few paintings of eggplants in a restaurant that features locally grown food would be good.

I finished them (I think) yesterday. The last bit that I had to do was paint the stem/vines. These are just quick shots I took at the studio when I was finished.

I have to admit that I'm still struggling with how I feel about these two finished paintings. Usually when I finish a painting, I'm in love with the piece. But these...I'm not 100% happy with how they turned out --- I guess they're not exactly what I had envisioned (close, but not quite).

Still, I am trying to learn something from this...First off, I know that I'm done with these eggplants--at least, for now. I need to step back and let them sit for a bit. I can decide later if I want to work on them further. But secondly, I think that sometimes you just have to accept that not every piece can be your favorite. I will probably paint more eggplants, but I think I would be better off leaving these as is and starting fresh on a new canvas.

And I think I may still hang them at Trotter's. I hear eggplant is on the menu in August.