Wine Anyone?

On a blustery December day, my friends and I, on the way back from church, stopped into one of our favorite bakeries, Petit Chat. The cozy atmosphere as well as the tantalizing smell of freshly baked bread and pastries filled the air, making us want to forget all of our responsibilities for the day. 

As I watched my friend's run over to the pastries looking for the tastiest one, I glanced around, taking in the friendly, coffee filled conversations taking place between the people within the bakery. But, something that I had never noticed before almost immediately struck me. There, on the walls, is framed canvas art for sale. The subject matter of each painting is simple, but elegantly beautiful, adding the perfect something to the bakery. 

One in particular stood out to me is titled Strawberries, Flowers, & Wine by artist Patricia Chantry Keas. Keas has been an artist for over 30 years, while also working in marketing and advertising. She paints a variety of different subjects, from portraits to still lifes, and has just recently taken on the challenge of painting wine glasses within her Wine Series. A few of her works are in Petit Chat, adding to the welcoming atmosphere. Strawberries, Flowers, & Wine is truly a stunning piece. It measures 16"x20" and is oil on linen canvas. The two glasses of wine look almost lifelike, the dark burgundy of the wine playing off of the bright pink flowers in the jar next to them. The bright red of the strawberries stand in huge contrast to the wooden table that everything is sitting on, and the shadows of all of the elements on the table give depth to the painting. 

Due to the blowing snow outside, or the summery elements within the picture, the painting had a warming effect on me, making me smile. I love the simplicity of this piece, and how it looks as if I could reach over and grab a glass right from the painting. It is still completely wondrous that I had never noticed that there is art for sale in one of my favorite bakeries, but better late than never right? It was a much appreciated surprise, and one that I will now look forward to every time I go back for another orange roll.