Something Wicked This Way Comes 2011

Editor: This is Dave Macdowell's 2011 acrylic painting, "Something Wicked This Way Comes." The scale is impressive, and the combination of the figure and the carousel creates such an unsettling, dreamlike effect. What elements stand out to you in this piece? Curator: The artist's precise rendering immediately commands attention. Consider how the subject is carefully positioned above the carousel, and observe the chromatic arrangement; cool tones dominate in the top half of the painting, with warm hues accenting the figure's lower body and integrating her into the carousel. Editor: I see what you mean about the warm colors. Does the swirl motif contribute to the dreamlike quality? Curator: Indeed. The repeated spiral form—evident in the clouds, the figure's 'tail,' and even the carousel ornaments—creates a visual rhythm, furthering the feeling of surrealism. Consider how the swirls lead the eye through different elements. Editor: And the figure’s pose seems deliberate, like she’s perched, about to…pounce, maybe? Curator: Precisely. The formal structure establishes a dynamic tension; it evokes both a sense of frozen stillness and imminent motion. Note how the figure and the carousel itself appear disconnected, existing in different pictorial spaces. Macdowell is very interested in surface tensions. Editor: That makes me look at the painting completely differently. I was so caught up in trying to understand what it "meant." Curator: Meaning is often less important than what the surface details can convey. Consider, the figure, though rendered with meticulous realism, feels unreal in its setting. The lack of clear narrative invites our own projection and interpretation. Editor: I appreciate you pointing out the tension in the work, especially how color and structure work together to create a world that's both beautiful and disturbing. Curator: Examining those tensions gives the work it’s edge. We are drawn in precisely because the painting doesn't offer easy answers; instead it poses complex questions of form and composition.