Goldilocks 

Vincent Xeus created this oil painting, "Goldilocks," using traditional fine art materials. The loose brushstrokes are a vital part of this painting. Notice how the artist coaxes the face and the shoulders into view, out of a background of blurred blues and greys. The paint has been applied with visible energy. Look at the background and you can see vertical marks that emphasize the material qualities of the paint: its viscosity, its texture, and its capacity to be pushed around the canvas. Oil paint, despite its association with high art, is a very labor-intensive material. Pigments have to be carefully ground and mixed with oil, a process that would have historically involved many studio assistants. And even when the paint is ready, it takes a real mastery of brushwork to achieve effects like this. Considering the artist's careful application of paint and brushwork, we appreciate how skill and technique can imbue an artwork with a specific kind of beauty.