Young Tiger 1978

LeRoy Neiman made this painting of a young tiger, and it's a riot of color, a zoo of marks! You can almost see the artist dancing around the canvas, splattering oranges, greens, and blues, building up the image through layers of happy accidents. I can imagine Neiman, brush in hand, stepping back, squinting, then diving back in with a burst of energy. Did he have jazz music playing in the background, maybe? Each stroke feels spontaneous, like a little explosion of pure feeling. Look at the way the paint drips and splatters, creating texture and movement. The tiger's expression, a mix of playfulness and fierce energy, comes alive through these energetic gestures. It reminds me of other painters like Joan Mitchell, who used color and gesture to capture the raw energy of nature. Artists are constantly riffing off each other, you know? This painting is a reminder that art is alive, always evolving through conversation and experimentation. It's not about perfection, but about embracing the unexpected, letting the painting breathe and evolve.