Wednesday

This is kind of your typical bridge point painting for what happened between the Baroque and Rococo – it was landscapes and a sense of uneasy peasant whimsy with just a hint of aristocratic finery that’s out of place.

Friday

In comparison to yesterday’s still life by the same artist, the color palette is similar but different enough to warrant a mention, as it changes the diffusion of the light and the overall effect of the blurred dreaminess of the edges. Also the overall composition grouping is similar, but just different enough to tweak your senses and make you go, “hmm”. Of the two, I actually prefer this one because the background is simpler and less cluttered and hodge-podge Victoriana feeling.

Wednesday

First off, the background is not grey. It’s kind of a watercolored effect of grey, blue and green that comes off as a muted greyish tone in most places. But it definitely isn’t just grey. And I will fight anyone that says it is.

Secondly, it doesn’t matter what the forms are meant to be. What matters is that they are meant to be both positive and negative within the space. They are meant to both work as sharpness and softness against the background, and that is why the background tone is watercolor muted and mixed as it is – to give the distinct definition that the angles and fluid lines need in order to work as they need. And I will fight you if you say otherwise.

Monday

This is reminiscent of a candle flame in tones of grey to me. I enjoy the fluid lines and imagery suggestive of a dancer’s delicate form in the abstract crumpling and shaping.

Sunday

In many ways, this painting screams grief and despair. It is all angles and desolation and emotional distance, stark contrast of colors and furious slashes of highlights that don’t quite fit where they’re meant to. It’s wrong and painful and yet… you can tell it’s meant to be therapy. It is a benediction, a begging for life to feel normal again, a tiny glimmer of hope in the darkness of deepest depression.

Friday

This is straight up one of my favorite pieces. It has a richness of tone, color, composition and yet a simplicity about it. I enjoy the way it invokes a sense of dreamy, almost surreal wonder.

Thursday

Whenever we talk about some of my favorite pieces of art, I have to stomp on my urge to just drag people straight to this painting and go, “THIS IS EVERYTHING I LOVE ABOUT ART AFTER IMPRESSIONISM ENDS.” It is slashes of color; it is expressionism and indistinct, yet it is coherent. It is bold and succinct. It is poignant and direct and to the point. It has no problem telling you exactly what it is and why it’s here and that you are just a fly on the wall. This is a particular kind of unapologetic art for art’s sake, and I love it so much it makes my little heart burst.