Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Not by Bread Alone

Not by Bread Alone by David R. Darrow 6" x 6" (15.24cm x 15.24cm)
Oil on Stretched Canvas SOLD Collection of Jolie Elman
Glendora, CA – USA

About This Painting

Donald Miller, author of a fine book: Blue Like Jazz tells a story in another thoughtful book of his, Searching For God Knows What in which he and a couple of gentleman — one of them quite successful in business — were sitting in a coffee shop and someone mentioned the World Poker Championship on TV. The wealthy one among them quipped kindly, "no one I know that is successful gambles; rather they work hard, they accept the facts of reality."

Don shot back playfully, "But the facts of reality stink."

The gentleman replied, "Reality is like fine wine. It will not appeal to children."

I think the same can be said for cheese. But "reality is like cheese" sounds less poignant somehow, and if I used it in a sentence, I would lose my audience immediately, garnering instead the cocked heads and confused looks of, say, your dog when you tell him "Company is coming over and I want you to be on your best behavior."

I don't own a dog, but I know they do that.

I was fortunate to have parents that, from the time I was weaned, made me try everything. And if mom cooked it for dinner, you finished your plate, you didn't just "try it." I didn't always appreciate it then, but I do now, because I learned to enjoy so many differing flavors.

Back in 1999 I met my parents in the beautiful artsy town of Carmel by the Sea, midway to San Franscisco from Carlsbad, California. After wandering in and out of galleries all morning and afternoon we finally succumbed to hunger, and popped into a wine and cheese shop. There were so many cheeses to choose from, with names that said nothing of what to expect, and colors and textures that were at once impressive and frightening, so rather than asking for the most popular cheese, I asked what the fellow had that he regarded as the weirdest, smelliest cheese he actually sells.

Without missing a beat, he silently turned and opened the glass-doored refrigerator behind him and brought out a lump of something wrapped in cling-wrap wrapped in butcher paper. When he had freed the grayish, medium-soft cheese from its airlock, he thrust it before my face for a sniff. I recoiled in such an immediate and facially-distorted manner, that without another word, he wrapped it back up and put it back in the cooler. The only thing I could think to ask was, "How could you possibly know when it's time to throw it out?"

Well, we grabbed instead a square of Garlic Jack and a wedge of Jarlsberg, some earthy, aromatic fresh-baked bread and a bottle of white wine and enjoyed it together in the afternoon shade on a beautiful day.

It was one of the most flavorful, memorable meals I can remember ever having.


To subscribe to my free "Art In Your InBox" Newsletter, just click here.

5 comments:

Artist Toni Grote said...

Beautiful David! I love your painting from yesterday of the wine as well. Great story too.

Rhonda Hurwitz said...

beautiful lighting...and writing

Larry Seiler said...

well....that one's going to be sold!

Don't know how eBay has been working for you..haven't really spent much time at it myself, but this one has SOLD!!!! all over it.

Not to make others feel bad, but I think this is one of the finest pieces I've seen painted todate on the dailies...very lovely!

wjcatnip said...

The light simply dances from your humble subjects. Add yesterday's glass of wine and you have provided me with the perfect meal!

ming said...

this one really stands out amongst the rest. love the way you manage to paint the atmosphere.. you can feel the thick and heavy space around the objects