The jealous mother 1947

Mariam Aslamazian made this painting, The Jealous Mother, using oil paint and a clear love of color. Aslamazian's brushstrokes seem quick, confident, and full of life, and the colors vibrate against each other. The orange of the mother's dress nearly sings against the lavender of her skirt. Look at the way she's painted the face of the child – it's simplified, almost doll-like, with bright eyes staring out at us. I love the mark-making in the background, the loose way she's indicated the bedframe and the patterned cushions. Each brushstroke feels like a decision, an act of freedom. I’m reminded of Paula Modersohn-Becker’s portraits of mothers and children. Like Modersohn-Becker, Aslamazian embraces a kind of earthy directness, an unpretentious way of seeing. Both artists remind us that painting is, at its heart, a conversation – a way of seeing, feeling, and responding to the world around us. There's always more than one way to see it, of course.