‘Napoli 1985’ Signed painting. Watermelon, Pomegranate and Cigarette

When I described my summers in Naples to an artist I met in Italy called Roberta she said she saw a vision and wanted to paint for me. My stories gave her goosebumps. 

As you know Italians come alive when they’re eating, particularly sharing their table with family and friends. I am one of 28 first cousins and most often every day we ate together. Without fail Nonna would always bring fresh fruit to the dining table pre coffee and cakes. They call this course 7!  We were fortunate to have pomegranate trees, cherry trees, apricot trees. The farm next to Nonna’s grew watermelons so my cousin Gina and I were often sent to get the biggest juiciest one we could find. These melons were huge!

My Nonna would walk from the kitchen with her giant knife and cut the melon straight down the middle (there is a method) Gina and I would pass slices down the table whilst Nonna would shout ‘veloce, veloce) (fast,fast) People talking over each other, my uncles at the bottom playing cards. After fruit, came espresso and cigarettes. With the scatter of eaten fruits my cousins would use the skins as ashtrays. This is the moment Roberta loved and has painted. It’s such a significant memory for me and I’m so joyed she saw what I said and I can now share this with you with these amazing paintings. 

Each painting is signed to the back with R and numbered 1/1

Pomegranate and Melon 1 of 1 
36cm wide 27cm height 4cm depth. 

Melon 1 of 1
36cm wide 28cm height 4cm depth 

Unframed, stretched canvas over wood frame, acrylic paint.