To Act as a Mirror 2021

Lanise Howard painted "To Act as a Mirror" in an unknown year with what looks like the delicate touch of oils. It's as though each layer of color was carefully laid down, almost like a meditation. I'm really feeling those earth tones and those subtle greens that give way to blues in the sky. The paint is applied so smoothly, creating a sense of depth and luminosity. I get the sense the artist has been exploring the idea of reflection, not just visually but also emotionally. The gesture of the hands is just beautiful, like she is trying to create a sacred moment. I imagine Howard might have been thinking about identity and connection, and what it means to see yourself in another person. Maybe she was thinking about the idea of the self, and how that self is always in dialogue with the world around it. She's building on the work of artists like Kerry James Marshall, who've also explored representation and identity in painting. Howard's contribution to that conversation is a valuable one.