Orange Still Life is a vibrant studio acrylic painting that celebrates the pure joy of color through a simple yet striking arrangement of oranges. This 20″ × 16″ work, created in 2018, was inspired by Don Yaun’s son Kevin, also an artist, who set up the composition and began his own studies for an oil painting. Don loved the colors but envisioned a cooler, more dramatic blue-purple background instead of the original lighter white and grays. He darkened the backdrop considerably to make the oranges pop, creating a rich, jewel-like contrast that feels almost edible.
The oranges themselves were built in layers: transparent glazes for depth in the shadows, followed by opaque applications and bright highlights to bring them to life. Like many of Don’s paintings, this one progressed through stages—starting with crisp, loose sketching that looked wonderful on its own, then deepening with glazes before the final opaques added luminosity and volume. Don often says he loves color so much he could “eat it,” and this piece embodies that passion perfectly.
The painting was selected as a finalist in Acrylic Works 7, featured in the special 2020 issue of The Best of Acrylic magazine—a proud early milestone in Don’s renewed artistic journey.
