till Lifes have been a staple in art throughout Western art history. They've always been a wonderful opportunity for artists to truly control the subject matter they're painting. With a still life, the artist dictates light and shadow, the masses that make up the composition (the objects chosen, their shape, size and proportion, as related to each other) and color. It's a platform where the artist can truly be the DESIGNER of their subject; to play God, in a way. A situation not available when painting a landscape or portrait. And when painting an abstraction of the still life, absolutely no limitations are placed on the artist.