Ocean Blue #6 1988

Joe Goode's ‘Ocean Blue #6’ looks like it was coaxed into existence, layer by translucent layer. I can imagine Joe in his studio, pushing the paint around, almost like he's wiping it onto the canvas, building up this incredible depth of colour. There's a real sense of atmospheric perspective here, like you could fall right into it. The paint isn't overworked, but it's not exactly casual either; it’s considered. This piece reminds me of the Color Field painters, who were also interested in exploring the emotional potential of colour, like Helen Frankenthaler. But Goode brings something else to the table, a kind of Californian cool maybe. It's a deep dive into blue, a reminder that painting is still a place where we can get lost and find our way back again, changed.