Untitled #1 1987

This Untitled #1, was made by Sam Francis, a long time ago. Looking at how he's using the watercolor, you can tell it's all about the process, about letting the colors mix and mingle on the page. He's got this incredible way of layering colors, so you get these juicy, translucent pools. It's almost like he's capturing light itself. Take a look at the dark blue blotch at the bottom, the way the pigment has been allowed to disperse across the paper, creating a sense of depth. It's as though the colour is blooming right before your eyes. Francis makes me think of Helen Frankenthaler, another colorist who was all about pouring and staining. They both understood that art wasn't about control but about letting the materials do their thing. It’s a real conversation between artist and medium.