SF59-040 1959

Sam Francis made SF59-040 using watercolor, and it's all about embracing the accidental, letting the paint do its thing. Look at how these blues, yellows, and reds just hang out on the surface, kind of like a party where everyone showed up but then stood around wondering what to do. The surface is mostly untouched, raw paper, which makes the drips and splatters feel super immediate. That drippy yellow line, for instance, isn't just a mark; it's a moment frozen in time, a record of gravity doing its thing. It's thin, transparent, and slightly staining, creating a contrast against the thick, opaque blobs of color at the top. Francis was definitely onto something, turning randomness into beauty. It reminds me a bit of Helen Frankenthaler's soak-stain paintings, but with a sunnier disposition. It's a reminder that art doesn't always need to be serious, sometimes it can be just about having fun and seeing where the paint takes you.