Shot of Convos

Shot of Convos

6x6, soft pastel

What the heck?  BAE...YAAAS...I actually had to google these terms (and others) when I went to paint this still life. I understand “text me” even “lets hang” but I had no idea these traditional candies had kept up with the times better than I have!

A bit of background: In 1866 Oliver Chase, a Boston pharmacist, invented a way to print vegetable dye “conversations” on individual candy pieces.  By1902 he began creating heart shaped candies with conversation quips on them which became very popular near Valentines Day.  If you’re familiar with them (and who isn’t) you know the messages...”kiss me, be mine, all mine, first kiss, best day, love you, dear heart”...etc. etc. These were the same messages as far back as I can remember. And (for now at least) I can remember them 60 years ago...or thereabouts. 

In any event...I got quite a chuckle out of the new conversation candies and was heartened to see that my beloved “xoxo” is still in print!   Enjoy!

P.S. This piece was a bugger!  Imperfections in the paper caused me to redo the background several times.  The background is now purple but doesn’t show up really well in the image above. Oh well, I’ve made it to Day 14. 😊