Cookie & Gingerbread Hyperrealism Paintings

Gingerbread neighborhood painting by Kim Testone along with the original real-life cookie model she baked and built first.

Cookie & Gingerbread Hyperrealism Paintings

My Cookie and Gingerbread Hyperrealism Paintings consist of highly-detailed flat acrylic paintings that are based on real-life cookie/frosting models that I bake and build by hand. I paint each piece using dozens of thin translucent layers of acrylic paint in a hyperrealism trompe l'oeil style. This results in paintings that present the illusion of three-dimensional sculptures, despite being completely flat. 

You can view my many process videos on my TikTok, as well as some on my Instagram page.
Some of the pieces in this series take on a more narrative approach than my other dessert paintings. In part, I use the cookies and gingerbread because it allows me to make a "real" model that comes from my imagination. That is necessary for my hyperrealism painting process. It also indulges me in the ability to create a fictional but realistic scene. 
Additionally, recognizable treats like cookies makes the work accessible to a broad range of people to enjoy and contemplate the pieces. Much like my other food paintings, I want these pieces to stand for joy and hope. They are beautiful desserts, most often associated with celebrations and other special moments in life. They are nostalgic reminders of joyful pasts and optimistic symbols for more joyful memories to come. 
You can learn more about the development of the series here. For more information about each individual work, please visit the full description pages on my Shop Original Paintings page. 

Whether you get to see them online or in person, I hope they help you to see a bit of magic in the world. More works will be added to this page as they are completed. Click the links to learn more about individual images, purchase originals or order prints. Thank you for visiting!

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