Goat II 2015

James Jean made "Goat II" sometime around now. It's blue. An azure dream of a drawing, maybe with ink. I wonder if Jean started with a faint wash of color, then worked into it, line by delicate line. The composition is tight, teeming with symbols. What does it mean? Like all paintings, it's a question, not an answer. I like the way the artist shows the goat being held, protected. Is it a sacrifice? Is it a pet? The line work reminds me of Hokusai’s wave. It’s all flow and ripple. Think of Jean at work, patiently layering detail upon detail, coaxing this vision into being. Maybe he was thinking of other artists grappling with line, with myth, with the weight of holding something precious. Art is an exchange, a long conversation across time. We try things, fail, and try again. I’m just glad Jean tried this, and shared it with us.