The Palm Springs Spa 2014

Carrie Graber made 'The Palm Springs Spa' sometime after 1975, the year of her birth. The golden light gives this painting a real feeling of warmth. It feels like the brushstrokes have been thinned out, which gives the painting a smooth, polished surface. I find my eye is drawn to the woman with her feet up, drink in hand, taking it all in. The artist is using a combination of transparent and opaque brushstrokes to create a sense of depth. Look how the details of the women are soft and a little blurry, but still solid. I like how the details in the background and foreground are handled with the same deftness, as if all the elements of this scene were of equal importance. The light here feels a bit like early Hockney. Both artists have a similar ability to evoke the heat and glamour of California. Artmaking is really an exchange of ideas across generations!