Maine lobster still steaming, with melted butter, ice-cold champagne in tall flutes. Really, what could be better? This is an original fine art oil painting, on panel, 11 x 14 inches, by Alison C. Dibble in 2020.

I bought lobsters during the pandemic to support the local fishermen, and painted them before eating them (that’s a different painting, more dull dark green; I portrayed them in their holes in the rocks under the sea). Then I steamed them and while they were cooking I set the table. But before we could eat, I had to paint, and I painted fast. I went for loose brushwork, a flamboyant feel, sparkling flutes, a scene of celebration and joy, a holiday feel. I made myself stop painting before I got too detailed. I wanted to leave some parts of the scene up to the viewer’s imagination in an unspoken collaboration.