Which of the following statements is not true?

A. The pears occupy the positive space in this image
B. Recognizing the negative and positive spaces could have made it easier for the artist to paint the pears
C. The negative space is difficult to recognize and is unhelpful in painting the object
D. The negative space of this image is the area surrounding the pears

C. The negative space is difficult to recognize and is unhelpful in painting the object

To determine which statement is not true, let's analyze each statement:

A. The pears occupy the positive space in this image.
Positive space refers to the area occupied by the main objects or subjects in an artwork. In this case, if the pears are indeed the main objects in the image, then this statement is true.

B. Recognizing the negative and positive spaces could have made it easier for the artist to paint the pears.
This statement suggests that understanding both the negative space (the area around and between the objects) and the positive space can aid an artist in painting. Considering that the context indicates the pears are the objects of focus in the image, recognizing the negative and positive spaces would indeed assist the artist. Therefore, this statement is also true.

C. The negative space is difficult to recognize and is unhelpful in painting the object.
This statement claims that the negative space is both difficult to identify and unhelpful in the process of painting the object. While recognizing negative space can sometimes be challenging, it is often crucial in defining the shape and form of the main objects in a painting. Thus, this statement is not true.

D. The negative space of this image is the area surrounding the pears.
If we assume that the pears are the main objects in the image, then the area surrounding them would indeed be the negative space. Therefore, this statement is true.

Summarizing our analysis:
- Statement A is true.
- Statement B is true.
- Statement C is not true.
- Statement D is true.

Therefore, the statement that is not true is C.

The statement that is not true is option C. "The negative space is difficult to recognize and is unhelpful in painting the object."