Pandemic Painting Deep Dive: Good Air

I feel a bit like a broken record, but I guess I'm a fan of my art; this has always been a favorite from the series and think it stands out both because of its size (54x62) and, like Sharing Lunch, due to its relative simplicity. The figures came together without fuss; the setting sparse; the overall atmosphere was immediately enchanting.

Though it wasn't included in the first show at MARN, Good Air is the namesake of the second showing of the collection and, in my opinion, a standout member of the series. The texture within the color blocks seen up close counters the overall emptiness when viewed from afar and the minimal but emotive figures create just enough interaction and tension to develop a narrative. At a time when my horizons were confined to a 10x20' room, Good Air truly brought a fresh breath of it.

For me this painting is about observation, jealousy, and fear. Two figures sit in the foreground, seemingly contorted and folded upon themselves. They gaze out at an endless horizon where the land seems to disappear into the sea, and the sky is nearly undistinguishable from the water. A fence-like structure seems to float or peer above the water's surface like a mirage while two anonymous figures seem to go about there business, unconcerned with the watching figures and abstracted landscape. All I can think of is how much the seated figures desire to be out in the water, letting clothes blow in the wind, standing comfortably and freely in the open; instead they remain in place, questioning their surroundings, envying the freedom of those before them whose only measurable difference was acting on desires or duty rather than succumbing to melancholy.

Check out more about Good Air HERE

And RSVP to the opening on facebook HERE