Zucchini Flowers

oil on hardboard, is created in the tradition of fifteenth- and sixteenth-century painting, using classical techniques such as sfumato and glazing. While living in Italy, we would often cook and eat the flowers. Their delicate, mild flavor, paired with a slightly chilled white wine and enjoyed on our patio during summer nights, returns me to the tranquility of a simple life

oil on hardboard by Magdalene Story

Size: 7x9

About Magdalene Story
I obtained my MFA from San Francisco Art Institute, in New Genre in 1997. In my professional career, I’ve worked as a textile designer for many retailers including HomeGoods, Target, Walmart, Linen and Things, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Marvins California designing quilts, bedding, decorative pillows, throws, curtains, rugs, and many other home textiles. Despite a very rewarding career, I’ve kept creating artwork for my personal enjoyment. Now, moving beyond my professional career, I’m am looking forward to my passion of creative art making on a full-time basis. My work is an exploration of the beauty of our ever-changing world through the lens of Renaissance tradition. By employing classical techniques like sfumato and glazing, I aim to capture a sense of 'preciousness' and timelessness that often feels lost in the digital age. I look back to the masters—not out of nostalgia, but to rediscover forgotten visual stimuli and apply them to the complexities of contemporary life. My goal is to invite the viewer to pause and reconnect with the quiet, luminous depth that only traditional oil painting can provide.