Untitled (Red) 1999

Phil Sims made this untitled painting with one big red block. I can only imagine the many layers it took to get to that final surface. I wonder what was going through Phil’s mind as he made this. I mean, was he trying to get to something pure, like a Rothko? Or maybe he was just into color. The paint isn’t super thick, it's pretty smooth and even. It reminds me of some of my own work where I try to get a color just right. It’s like a conversation, I put some paint down, then I respond to it, then the painting responds back. It’s a back-and-forth until something emerges. Painters have always looked at each other’s work for ideas and inspiration, and I’m sure Phil was part of that conversation, too. The best paintings are like that, they keep talking to you long after they’re done.