Aisha 1962

Nikola Martinoski made "Aisha" with expressive brushstrokes and a vibrant color palette. Imagine the scene in the studio—the artist circling the canvas, brush loaded with paint, making bold decisions. I feel for Martinoski here, wrestling with the figure, trying to capture a likeness, but also something more profound. See how the paint is applied thickly, almost sculpted onto the canvas? Those dabs of color around Aisha’s head and shoulders create a sense of movement and energy, like she’s about to get up and leave. The way Martinoski renders the face, with those quick, almost brutal strokes, reminds me of some of the German Expressionists. It's like he’s trying to get at something raw and essential. Artists are constantly in conversation, aren't they? Echoing, responding, and pushing back against what came before. Painting like this is an ongoing investigation, full of questions and possibilities, never settling for easy answers.