This vibrant still life features expressive brushwork, saturated color, and a bold sense of play. A glass vase filled with delicate blue florals takes center stage, flanked by bright objects that hint at a narrative just out of reach. The background blends painterly abstraction with structured form, creating a dynamic sense of space and mood.
A small yellow sticky note near the bottom corner reads, “This must mean somethin, Cora" is a humorous, self-aware nod that adds warmth and charm to the composition. Painted in oil on stretched canvas, this piece is ready to hang as-is or frame to fit your aesthetic.
This Must Mean Something (SOLD)
This piece emerged from a desire to break away from the conventions of traditional still life. I was growing bored with the expected symbolism: candles marking time, flowers standing in for beaut, and I began experimenting with ways to subvert those tropes while still honoring them.
The two candles, one burned out and one untouched, still gesture toward time passing, but they’re placed in a world that feels more immediate, more disrupted. I brought in graffiti-like elements like neon outlines, painterly scribbles, cross-outs, and bold color pops (to interrupt the calm), adding urgency and a bit of irreverence. The result is a visual mash-up: part classical still life, part urban gesture.
The yellow sticky note reading “This must mean something , Cora” captures the spirit of the work: a bit tongue-in-cheek, a bit sincere. It invites the viewer to question meaning while still appreciating the surface, the energy, and the layered symbols.