Purple Garlic - What’s Not to Like?

Aglio Violetto (Purple Garlic), 2020

Watercolor pencil on paper

15" x 11"

I love the color purple and I love garlic. So when my sister produced an arm-full of purple garlic, fresh from her garden, I knew it had to become art! The dirt was still clinging to the cloves when I dove in with my camera to capture source photos. Chelle was a good sport and stood aside for a few moments until I had snapped my fill of pictures (having dealt with my artistic tendencies her whole life this was definitely not her first rodeo).

We have had gorgeous weather here this week and the Holy Spirit inspired me to drag my easel outside. It felt only appropriate to locate myself near the garden. The idea that God provides delicious food right out of the ground is amazing to me. Seeds + dirt + sun + water = food?! Yeah, that is totally a miracle. Drawing outside also afforded me the ability to multitask and keep watch over Tucker and Dale. My two little assistants orbited close by as I worked; they romped in the tall grass and attempted to scale the occasional tree.

As the color was the most exciting element of this subject, I selected a colorful medium - watercolor pencils. Faber Castell Albrecht Dürer pencils to be more precise (just incase you were curious or taking notes). I love watercolor pencils because they offer the best of both worlds: they have the fluid painterly feel of watercolors with the precise control of a pencil. I decided to render each clove individually because each was unique. Every time I touched my brush to a new clove I couldn’t help but hold my breath in anticipation as the water activated the pigments.

So much of this drawing experience made me smile; the colors, the sunshine, the kittens playing at my feet. Even the garlic made me smile. Every time I see garlic I’m reminded of a funny bit of scripture. This odd passage is found in Numbers 11. Moses is leading the Jews through the desert (or trying his best to) after the Exodus from Egypt. It’s been a couple of years and the main complaint amongst the group is the absence of good food: 

Again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”

Numbers 11:4-6 (NIV)

I love how dramatically the Israelites rhapsodize about food. As a fellow foodie, I can totally relate. There is definitely a direct correlation in my mind between the fondness of my recollection for a place and the quality of its cuisine. That being said, the idea of returning to slavery just to have garlic seems pretty extreme even if it was purple garlic. The Israelites’ comment might seem strange but I think it serves as a good reminder. The path to spiritual freedom and the “Promised Land” is sometimes hot and sweaty (and may be lacking in tasty treats) but it is far better than comfortable oppression served with onions and garlic.