UC Davis is growing California

At UC Davis, we and our partners are nourishing our state with food, economic activity and better health, playing a key part in the state’s role as the top national agricultural producer for more than 50 years. UC Davis is participating in UC’s Global Food Initiative launched by UC President Janet Napolitano, harnessing the collective power of UC to help feed the world and steer it on the path to sustainability.

What the artists Grant Wood and René Magritte did with oil paints, two UC Davis students replicated with almonds, raisins, garlic, carrots, asparagus and more in crafting masterpieces from California’s bounty.

For their efforts, Maria Robles Gonzalez and Yeojin Jung took two of the three prizes in the Produce Collage Contest held in conjunction with UC’s Global Food Initiative.

See Maria's and Yeojin's collages, the artwork that inspired them, plus photos of the artists, in the slideshow at right. Click on the image to open the slideshow. The slideshow also includes the third winning collage (a rendering of late-night TV host Conan O'Brien).

The contest is over, but people are still invited to create their own online collages here. Click on the produce items you want to use, and they’ll appear on your “canvas,” where you can scale and rotate them. See all the creations in this Facebook album.

As you “mouse” over the items, you’ll see where they are grown in California. The “Explore Produce” page gives more information about each item and UC’s role in nurturing that product.

Robles Gonzalez used raisins, walnuts, almonds, garlic, mint, a carrot, a cucumber and asparagus layered on blueberries, rice and oranges to create a version of surrealist artist Magritte’s Son of Man.

“I thought it was interesting how this contest flipped the common practice of using art to depict objects and instead used food to create art,” said Robles Gonzalez, a senior majoring in wildlife, fish and conservation biology.

Jung drew inspiration from Wood’s American Gothic after seeing it in a class.

She used almonds, raisins, garlic, carrots, celery, avocados, pumpkins, tomatoes, strawberries, asparagus and broccoli to reproduce the iconic painting of a farmer and his daughter.

“My rendition is dedicated to our farmers and their relentless hard work,” said Jung, a junior majoring in sustainable agriculture and food systems.

Robles Gonzalez, Jung and UC Irvine alumnus Don Rose each won a $75 gift card to buy fresh fruits and vegetables from LocalHarvest, which connects consumers with CSA (community supported agriculture) suppliers.

Harry Mok of the UC Office of the President contributed to this report.

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