Here’s to all the farmers, harvesters, and gardeners for making summer so sweet. Their land and labor sustain body and soul, year after year. I am especially grateful in summertime, when I have the good fortune of going to a farmers market almost every Saturday. What a bounty there is, spread out on a half a village block: flowers, vegetables, fruit, bread, meats, and artisan goods. I buy some things to eat (beans, peppers, squash) and some to paint (kohlrabi), and supplement the bounty with a few homegrown cucumbers and tomatoes. What a feast!

Tips and Techniques– I paint a page like this almost every August and I never tire of it. It’s a fun exercise to create a cohesive composition from a variety of vegetables and to celebrate this colorful season in my sketchbook. Head to a farm stand, local grocery store, or your garden and give it a go.