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This week as I was painting ‘Sugar Baby’ I discovered something I didn’t know before.

Some very gracious friends who are experimenting with organic gardening gave me this big beautiful watermelon. We are not in a typical watermelon growing area here on the Pacific coast of Canada so this was a treat.  The variety was this beautiful pale pink called ‘Sugar Baby’ and oh so juicy. We were having a late warm spell so it was going to be well enjoyed.  Once I’d cut it I had to grab my phone and take a few pictures of this beautiful fruit. I’m always looking for a paint subject and this watermelon was soon to become part of my ‘ Home Grown’ collection.

When I paint it requires me to look at things in a way I don’t always do.  It’s as if I have permission to take the time to observe. Something I had never noticed about a watermelon before is that there were these spirals I was seeing.  I started to wonder if these were the same type of patterns that are in sunflowers or pineapples known as fractals, the golden angle, the Fibonacci sequence.  Sure enough when I checked it out it definitely was. I had no idea and had never noticed this until now. Not only was I amazed but when I see such order and careful design in our natural world it gives me comfort. 

Did you know that many artists use the Fibonacci sequence when they compose a painting?  Research it and I think you’ll find it as fascinating as I do.