Tomato Soup Grilled Cheese Watercolor Illustration
By Charlie

Soup Season

Written by Charlie O'Shields

For our prompt of “Pots” today, my mind was still on food, so I opted for a pot of tomato soup. Of course, as a kid, I loved this soup paired with a grilled cheese sandwich so I added that to the scene as well. To be clear, I didn’t eat the entire pot myself back then, but probably would have if left unattended. I still love this combo the most even as an adult. It’s such a wonderful and cozy treat that never fails to put a smile on my face. This time of year in our house, our pots get a lot of action. As the weather gets cooler Philippe makes more and more soups, each one more delicious than the next! My current favorite is a roasted cauliflower soup, but I’m sure I’ll discover a new favorite this year. Even when he uses similar ingredients, he has a knack for never quite creating exactly the same soup twice. It’s like an artist who goes to paint the same thing again and makes little changes and improvements along the way. And the end result, while a bit different each time, is always a delicious masterpiece.

Soups are a simply perfect pairing as the weather gets colder, because life gets a bit lazier for us. Without the sun to make us feel like we’re meant to keep on being productive in some way, Philippe and I will take the lack of light as an excuse to relax a bit more and go to bed even earlier. This bout of laziness extends to our dinner since many soups that Philippe creates are blended so they don’t even require the arduous act of chewing. It’s simply wonderful! While I talk about DOing quite a lot, relaxing taking time to enjoy life is certainly something worth DOing as well. It might be the most important thing, after all. Admittedly, this is something I’ve often struggled with throughout my life. I have so many things that I want to try and so many projects I have yet to complete that I often find myself in a state filled with constant buzzing thoughts. To simply take a moment and think of nothing much at all is a rare treat indeed. And, it bears repeating that my medicine doesn’t come in a pharmaceutical form, but is indeed my daily sketching ritual itself. For the first time in my entire life, I’m spending time each and every day to zone out for a bit and truly relax. Art is an amazing elixir indeed.

And, as many of you know, my art comes in two parts. The first is an illustration and the second is the story you’re reading here. This is the part where I empty my mind of whatever little thoughts are spinning in it and take a moment to practice writing as well. And after over four years, I’m still just happily practicing. If someone were to pursue a hobby like this even part-time, they’d spend let’s say five hours a day, five days a week on it. At my current average of just around 45 minutes to an hour a day, over four years later, this puts me at the same level that part-time practicer would reach in the first year. While this may seem like I’m light years behind, I have over 1,540 illustrations and the word count equivalent of 13 novels to show for my tiny bit of daily effort. It’s proof that taking a leisurely approach to life, and showing up for it with your whole heart, can still produce a lot of wonderful things along the way. A bit of happy focus simply DOing something you enjoy is often worth more than hours spent worrying over whether or not you’re becoming accomplished. So, I for one, am thrilled for the coming season, with lazy dinners I can simply drink, along with simple pleasures that remind me of my childhood. And, in reality, I’m not being lazy at all. I’m just finding a bit of inner peace in my life, like I find each and every year when it’s once again time to enjoy those delicious blend of ingredients that only arrive during soup season.

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About the Doodlewash

Da Vinci Paint Co.: Gold Ochre, Vermilion, Quinacridone Red, Cobalt Turquoise, Terra Cotta, and Cobalt Blue. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with black ink in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. Want to purchase a print of this doodlewash? Send me a note with a link to this post, and I’ll add it to my shop!
 Tomato Soup Grilled Cheese Watercolor Illustration Sketchbook Detail

 

Charlie O'Shields

Creator of Doodlewash, founder of World Watercolor Month (July), World Watercolor Group, and host of the Sketching Stuff Podcast. Sharing watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world!

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28 thoughts on “Soup Season”

  1. I love tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, great post Charlie! And I am looking forward to life slowing down a bit though with a new art business starting up we shall see. My house is soon to be empty of my artwork. I will be taking between 55 to 65 paintings of various sizes to hang in a church gallery next Wednesday. Today I have been creating price and painting name labels galore, finishing up two more paintings and working on paperwork. It’s coming together. Tomorrow night we get a night out to go see the Red Hot Chili Pipers which is a bagpipe band. Should be fun!

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    1. Thanks so much, Karen! 😃💕 Sounds like your life might be slowing down and heating up in a good way at the same time. That’s awesome! And speaking of heat… sort of jealous that you get to go see the Red Hot Chili Pipers! lol That sounds fun!

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  2. Earlier this year, after 20 years of writing a daily newsletter, my brother finally cut down to 5 times a week, letting someone else write them two days of the week. Before that he had a monthly printed version that was mailed to subscribers – the internet really cut down on his costs while cranking up the amount of time. No artwork, just writing and tons of research on finance and health. He’s always loved it though. I think even now, he’d have continued writing it daily if not for his wife’s health putting heavy demands on his time.

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  4. I love to make soups and chilli this time of year. Leftovers are no small part of that! Minestrone is one of my favorites. I need it soon! Time to send Joe to the store and soak some beans. I also make a mean chicken soup with homemade noodles! Yum!! Your posts make me very hungry some days and I just ate!

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  5. Thanks for sharing your daily medicine with us Charlie! I so enjoy your illustrations and your stories! You are amazing! As for the soup, I could eat that every day. Love tomato or vegetable soup 😁🤗

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  6. Charlie one cup tomato soup for me please!…yes my mom too used to make soup everyday when i was a kid…I love soup and the painting which you have done looks tempting for the soup. Nice work Charlie! Keep going.

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  12. Ahhh, tomato soup and grilled cheese! My favorite soup. I still think my son was born with a red tint to his hair because I ate so much of it when I was pregnant. He no longer has the red tint. Hard to welcome in Fall when it was 75 the other day. 🙁 It’s coming, so they say. This is a lovely sketch of both and makes me want some!

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  14. How could I purchase 2 copies of this. My best friend and I are teachers and once or twice a month we have grilled cheese dates! We look forward to it and these would make great matching friends art.

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