Light Gray - Tan 1978

Robert Goodnough made "Light Gray - Tan" with paint, probably in his studio, maybe listening to some music. I can imagine him building up that cloud of marks, each one a small decision, a tiny adjustment. It’s like watching a flock of birds take flight – each element separate, but together forming something bigger, almost alive. I wonder what he was thinking about as he made each mark. Was it pure abstraction, or was he chasing after some feeling, some memory? The light gray against the tan is so subtle, like a whisper. The paint looks thin, almost stained into the canvas, which gives it a ghostly quality. That grouping of marks on the left—it could be anything: a crowd, a storm, a thought taking shape. It reminds me of Twombly's scribbles, but more controlled, more deliberate. You can sense Goodnough’s hand, his touch, in every stroke. We, as artists, are all in conversation with each other across time. The painting is an invitation to slow down, to look closely, and to feel the quiet energy of the artist's hand.