WHAT did Cezanne do with all those apples? Make an apple tart? Why was red mullet so fascinating to Matisse? Were fish bones and absinthe more than just props to Picasso? Did Andy Warhol use the contents of those soup cans in a casserole? The way artists use food as inspiration is fascinating.
So, when the wild, crazy shapes and outlandish colours of potter Carolyn Cheng crossed my path years ago, I immediately thought of Mexico - and its food.
It conjured up the markets, the textures of its cuisine with contrasting tastes, the waxy surfaces and brilliant colours of chillies, the whimsical, decorative pinatas or a terrific combination plate.
Colour, texture and food go together, says Ms Cheng, a pottery teacher at the Fringe Pottery Workshop.
'I even have my favourite bowl for salsa and I always add colourful ingredients to give food a visual appeal,' she said.
Do artists with an eye for shapes, form and texture have an edge in the kitchen? Do potters' strong hands knead dough better than a solicitor or an accountant? 'When I make bread, I use a bread machine,' says potter Queenie Leung.