Ezekiel Saw the Wheel 1945

William H. Johnson made this painting called, "Ezekiel Saw the Wheel," with what looks like gouache, or maybe casein paint, sometime in the mid-20th century. The colors are flat and matte. The brushwork is direct, nothing concealed. You can see the hand in it, a refreshing, playful touch. I love the way the two big wheel shapes float at the top, like an idea, or a vision. They are slightly transparent, revealing the blue ground behind. The man in the center is all angular shapes and dark umber color. I think he’s gesturing, maybe conducting this cosmic scene! And look at how Johnson painted his hands, each finger carefully articulated like he's trying to show us how to grab hold of a vision too. Johnson’s work reminds me a little of Bob Thompson, another artist who used simplified shapes and bold color to evoke a kind of ecstatic, spiritual feeling. It’s like they’re both saying, “Hey, let’s not get too hung up on perfection. Let’s just feel it, and paint it!”