Ocean Blue #6 1988

Joe Goode made this painting, Ocean Blue #6, with what seems like a layering of washes, one over the other. It gives the sense of artmaking as a gradual revelation, a slow uncovering. There's an all-over quality to the surface; it's not flat, exactly, but it's also not quite dimensional. Up close, the color feels like it's shifting, almost vibrating. There's a softness to the edges of the marks, a blurred quality that suggests the paint was applied wet-on-wet, maybe even with a sponge or cloth, rather than a brush. Look at the way the pigment pools and gathers in certain areas, creating these subtle variations in tone. It's like looking into the depths of water, where light and shadow play across the surface. I’m reminded of the monochrome paintings of Yves Klein, but where Klein aimed for a pure, unmodulated color field, Goode seems more interested in the subtle nuances and variations that emerge through the act of painting itself. It’s a reminder that even the simplest of gestures can hold unexpected depths and complexities.