Mimi at the Black Sea 2010

Vlada Ralko painted ‘Mimi at the Black Sea’ with what looks like an intuitive and immediate approach, letting the image emerge through layers of color and form. I can almost see her, brush in hand, building up Mimi's form with strokes of grey, pink, and teal, that’s so physical and present! The vibrant pink background against the cool blues and greens of the sea creates a playful contrast. I wonder if she started with the cat, or the landscape and how these inform one another? I find myself pondering on how the black outline is also part of the shadow, and how the shadow is like a shape of the cat, echoing the shape of the cat, or how both echo each other. I can see a relationship between this painting and the work of other painters interested in the power of direct, expressive mark-making to elicit feeling. Ultimately, artists engage in ongoing conversations, exchanging ideas across time and inspiring one another's creativity. Painting is a form of embodied expression, embracing ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations.