The Penetration of a Thought 1958

Gandy Brodie created this piece called "The Penetration of a Thought" with visible brushstrokes in a range of purples and greys. I imagine him, brush in hand, circling the canvas, maybe even attacking it, as the figure emerges from the ground. I can't help but feel for this artist and this painting—thinking about his state of mind, the way he's capturing a moment of contemplation. There's something so tender about how Brodie builds the form with these almost impatient marks. I think of Guston, of course, and also Marsden Hartley. The paint looks thick, almost like frosting, giving real weight to the figure. Look at that stroke of grey delineating the side of the face—so simple, yet it speaks volumes. It makes me want to grab a brush and enter into that same intuitive, searching process. We painters are all just trying to figure things out together.