House by the Ocean 1978

Ronnie Landfield created this painting, "House by the Ocean," with what looks like thin washes of acrylic. The colours are gentle, dusky pinks, yellows, browns and blues. I imagine Landfield in his studio, layering these washes one by one. Did he let the paint drip and run down the canvas, or did he carefully control the flow? I feel a kinship with him, as I often let my paint run a little to see what happens. It looks like he may have built up the painting in stages, allowing each layer to dry before adding the next. There's a sense of atmosphere and light, like a Turner seascape. See the line of darker pigment that defines the horizon—it feels both intentional and accidental. I like how artists can be in dialogue across time, picking up on each other's ideas and techniques. Ultimately, painting is about embracing ambiguity and uncertainty. We put something down, we react to it, and the painting emerges through that process. It is a conversation we can all partake in.