Treble 1975

Gene Davis made this painting, Treble, with stripes of color that run vertically along the top edge. I can imagine him setting up in his studio, maybe putting on some music, and getting lost in the act of painting. I wonder what he was thinking as he applied each stripe. Was he trying to create a specific mood, or was he simply exploring the possibilities of color and form? The way the colors interact with each other creates a kind of visual rhythm. The paint looks pretty thin, almost like watercolor. I'm thinking about Agnes Martin, who used to make paintings with stripes, lines, and grids and she had a similar interest in music. Ultimately, painting is a conversation between artists across time, inspiring new ways of seeing and experiencing the world. What is certain is that ambiguity allows for multiple interpretations and meanings. It seems like the possibilities are endless.