Shamane II 1998

Eric Massholder has created this figure, ‘Shamane II’, using angular forms and a palette of blues, greens, and yellows. I imagine Massholder in the studio, approaching the canvas with a spirit of exploration. The painting seems to come into being through trial, error, and intuition, as if the artist is piecing together fragments of an image, a memory, a dream. I really like how the face is a collection of geometric shapes, each one carefully placed to suggest depth and shadow. What I find so interesting is that the texture, the way the paint sits on the surface, adds another layer of meaning. The brushstrokes around the eye, for example, are so subtle, and yet they communicate so much about feeling and intention. Painters are always in conversation with each other, building on the ideas of those who came before. 'Shamane II' feels like an exchange of ideas across time, inspiring creativity and inviting multiple interpretations.