By the Midnight of Son 2021

Lanise Howard's 'By the Midnight of Son' is a real beauty, painted with what looks like oil on canvas, and talk about a title that sings. Looking at the model's gaze and expression, you can tell it was a very personal painting, and it seems like she might have been thinking about intimacy, about being seen and known. The leaves, carefully placed to frame the figure, suggest vulnerability, tenderness and the moon softens the palette which is why the artwork is such an inviting painting. The gradient in the sky, from lavender to deep violet, feels like an attempt to capture the fleeting moments of dusk and dawn. It’s interesting how Howard uses the precision of realist rendering to convey feeling and emotion, and, in a wider sense, how the painting reflects an ongoing conversation about portraiture and representation. Every painting is a moment of exchange, a passing-down of ideas and inspiration.