A moment of clarity 2021

Lanise Howard offers us this painting, “A Moment of Clarity,” and it's a striking and intimate depiction of a seated woman. I am immediately drawn to the warm peach backdrop, which feels like a soft, enveloping space, against which the figure really pops. I can imagine Lanise, with her brush, carefully layering those colours. The woman's expression is thoughtful, inward-looking – her hand resting gently on her chest. There is a softness to her skin, and the red and black stripes of her dress create a really cool, almost graphic contrast. I wonder what was going through her mind when Lanise captured this moment? What was she thinking about? The textures throughout the painting are incredible – from the smooth skin to the plump cushions on the sofa. I can feel the influence of other figurative painters like Alice Neel, but with her own unique spin and vision. Lanise’s work reminds us that painting can be a way of seeing the world in new, exciting, and meaningful ways.