Stillness: Farmer’s Market Cabbages

Nov 18

Oil painting of green and purple cabbage set in a basket from a Farmer's harvest, painted by Kristi Marsh in Freeport Maine — Oil on Canvas 18 × 18

The Story of Stillness | Morning’s Cabbage Harvest in a Farmer’s Market Basket Display

$800.00 set in a charcoal floating frame

I am obsessed with fresh farm food and the soil that it comes from. My Google albums are packed with close-ups of strawberries, garlic scapes, tomatoes, and squash, all carefully documented like I’m building a museum exhibit on seasons. I can’t help it—it’s as if I’ve never seen a display of eggplants or a foofy fragrant pile of arugula in my life.

This painting was from a life moment - an old barn with a stone-walled cellar, its cool, earthy interior filled with oversized baskets showcasing the day’s harvest. In one of them were purple and green cabbages cut from their cradling leaves that morning. I remember it with such clarity. I was there to learn. To work alongside some of the hardest working people I have met - soil in my fingernails, crawling between rows, weeding and hauling wheelbarrows of kale, pumpkins, or tomatoes across the acreage. And I loved every bit of it.

My Oil Painting Process

I ADORE this painting. As opposed to a lot of my work - high in saturation and celebrating color or light - this depicts a soft, dim light coming in from the entrance of the stone cellar. Creating form from oil paints is paying attention to the in-between spaces, moments, and shadows. Nestled and glowing. Depicting calm, the stillness, and at the same time, the vitality of nature.

Where to Explore When Visiting Maine

Maine is perfect for weekend road trips for New Englanders. Come summer, festivals abound, and every charming town has themed weekends. If you love all the topics around food, you might enjoy creating a road trip to the Common Ground Fair in Unity, Maine. The Common Ground Country Fair is MOFGA's signature event and annual celebration of rural living. Always held the third weekend after Labor Day!

And if you are from away, in addition to exploring coastal seafood, try everything: squash, cabbages, brussels, potatoes. Maine fall menus from local farmer’s are a sensation in their own.