Beta Vulgaris

Beta Vulgaris
Oil  8" x 8"
$195.00 + $10. s/h

According to Wikipedia, the scientific name for beet root is "Beta Vulgaris."  No wonder kids don't always eat their vegetables.  With names like that!  

I wanted to do some plein air still lives so I set the beets up on the patio and painted away!

I had to spray the beets with water every few minutes to keep them bright and red-violet.  

When dry they look more purple and brownish/gray.

And The Beet Goes On!

And The Beet Goes On!
Oil  8" x 8"
$195.00 + $10. s/h

A friend has a huge plot in a nearby community garden and dropped off a bunch (is a group of beets a "bunch"?) of beets a while ago.  I love the color of beets and new that before we ate them they would become a painting!

I just googled "beet" and learned so much from Wikepedia!  I didn't know that "Betanin" the color which is obtained from the beet, or root, is used industrially as a food color.  That makes sense, it's so bright and beautiful!  I didn't realize that the betanin is used to improve the color and flavor of tomato paste,  jams and jellies, ice cream (I've never had beet ice cream..maybe it's used to color strawberry ice cream!!??), and breakfast cereal (so now kids can say that eating cereal is really healthy!)