I love okra… there, I said it. I have a friend who grew up in the North who had never really heard of it before meeting me. She says she giggles every time she even says the word.
I’ve planted it many times in hopes of that mythical bumper crop… where you have too much to eat and are forced to share… but it’s never happened. I’ll keep planting, though.
My painting of okra for the Art for the Uncommon Gardener series marks the second time I’ve painted this subject. The first was a pastel still life of harvested pods that I sold several years ago… presumably to someone who loves okra as much as I do!
The composition was inspired by a mix of several paintings of an okra plant I had growing in a large pot.
To start this piece, I added a little sand to the base coat to create a gritty texture on the board. Much of the okra I grow is ‘spineless,’ but even that variety can be a touch prickly when you go to harvest. Since okra is a summer crop, the background is a nod to hot days and iron-rich red soil.
I really wanted the flower to be the star here. If you’ve never seen an okra flower, you are missing out! It is one of the most beautiful blooms, surprisingly delicate for such an odd little vegetable. I ended up changing the placement of the pods halfway through, but that is the beauty of acrylics.
Okra is inextricably linked to the South. It brings to mind Louisiana gumbo, plates of fried okra at local diners, and family gatherings. I wanted to capture a bit of that nostalgia, so I included hints of lace from a grandma’s tablecloth and a visual remnant of a gumbo recipe.
While the flower is delicate-looking, the plant itself is hardy. I used bold outlines around the flower and stems to help solidify its place in both the composition and the garden.
And yes, I do eat it! It’s my second favorite vegetable behind zucchini. I love it fried, but my favorite preparation is grilled or roasted. Just take a full pod, slice it lengthwise from the tip to the crown, toss it in olive oil, and roast it on a hot grill or in the oven. Dip it in a smoky chipotle sauce or creamy ranch, and you are set.
True story: I once picked up my youngest from sports practice with a plate of hot, fried okra as a snack. She was very happy, and I got some rare teenage praise that day.
I recorded most of the painting process and narrated in this demonstration on YouTube. This gives more of the artistic, color and composition decisions for the painting.
The final painting, also available as a print:
