Donald Diddams
The Art of Digital Art
Carambola Still Life
Carambola - 2009
The carambola, better known as “starfruit” in the continental US (and sometimes called “five-fingers” in Trinidad and other southern Caribbbean islands), is tart and juicy, and ranges in color from a greenish yellow to bright orange. You can pick them fresh from the tree here in St. Croix, and we have a beach resort and a golf course named for the carambola.
The color, distinctive shapes and shiny, almost leathery texture of three ripe orange fruits sitting on a dark marble slab caught my eye.
Donald Diddams 
So many good elements in this one- from the X that pulls the viewer right in to the angles that keep us moving around.
There’s really good color study here too Don. Those cool lavender shadows, and yellow high spots.
Nice work.
Thanks, Bonnie. Yes, I agree that a lot of things worked on this one. I wish that were always the case… but it’s not. Oh well…
Don – I am an admirer of your work and especially the Carambola. Is your work available in a gallery?
Karla
I’ve been looking down all day at asphalt and this is balm to my tired eyes. I took my grand nephew and two of the grand nieces one day to the store with one mission: let’s buy strange fruits and make things with them. Star fruit, a yellow one, was one of the choices except they didn’t make anything with it cuz we sorta ate the whole thing.
Great color. I’ve never seen orange ones. Ah, New England and its limitations.
Oh Karla, sorry to say my work is not available in a gallery right now, but I’m working on it! Thanks for asking, though…
Pat, your looking down at the asphalt paid off, though. I know what you mean about the disappearing starfruit. I started with 4, but a couple disappeared before I was done with my photo session. Yes, they usually are yellow to yellow-orage, but gradually turn a deeper orange as they approach over-ripe condition (brown). Thanks for the comment!
This is a great image. Really nice.
Thank you, razzbufnik. A favorite of mine, too.