HALIFAX -- A U.K. woman is turning bananas into stunning works of art.
Anna Chojnicka picked up her art hobby last year while recovering from a suspected case of COVID-19.
Bored and isolated, she helped the time pass by bruising bananas with a fork and soon realized she could create unique drawings on the bruised fruit.
“It came about while going a little stir crazy, having to stay in one room for two weeks. I had a banana for lunch and I began to absentmindedly doodle on it and when I came back I noticed the mark had gone darker and half an hour later it was black,” Chojnicka told CTV News Channel Friday.
“I realized this was a way of making art by using timing strategically and creating images by bruising the peel."
Chojnicka has since shared a photo of her art every day online which include a recreation of the Mona Lisa and U.S. President Joe Biden. She is often inspired by current events or the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her portfolio of bananas now include more than 400 pieces, and her collection is still growing.
“I literally press into the peel of the banana with a blunt point,” said Chojnicka.
She uses various tools to create a bruising process and uses no ink. Over time the bruised area oxidizes and becomes darker and creates contour lines and different shades. The whole process takes her approximately one hour, including bruising time, to complete.
“Start by doing the parts that you want to be darkest first, and then wait and work your way backwards to the lightest parts last," said Chojnicka.
She goes by the name Banana Bruiser on Instagram and she has gained more than 12,000 followers in the past year alone. She hasn’t missed a day since.
“I never expected it to take off in the way it has,” she said.
Chojnicka is also teaching art classes to elderly community members living alone as a way to help them socialize. She is working with a local charity in London that keeps people connected who are at risk of isolation.
“It’s been amazing, it’s quite therapeutic so it’s been a real joyful new venture for me in lots of different ways,” said Chojnicka.
No bananas go to waste in the process, according to Chojnicka.