Untitled (SFP94-79, SFF.1755) 1994

This untitled work was made by Sam Francis, using paint, sometime before 1994. Look at the way he flung the paint around; it's all about the doing, the moment, the action. It's like he's having a conversation with the canvas. The colors are so alive, aren't they? Pools of deep blues and blacks contrast with splashes of fiery red and electric yellow. The paint is drippy, thin in some places, pooling in others. Notice how the white of the canvas peeks through, giving the whole thing a sense of lightness and air. There’s this one area, lower left, where the yellow drips form a tangled web. It’s messy and chaotic, but it’s also kind of beautiful, right? Francis reminds me a lot of Joan Mitchell, another painter who wasn't afraid to let loose with color and gesture. Both artists, in their own way, remind us that painting isn't about perfection. It’s about embracing the unexpected.