Untitled 1971

Verena Loewensberg made this painting with acrylic and tempera, I imagine, layer upon layer, building a bright, flat surface of vibrant colour. It's so clean and smooth, I wonder how long she spent getting it just so. I feel for Loewensberg, as another painter, and think about how she might have mixed the paint, the struggle to keep the edges sharp. What was she thinking as she was making this rainbow? How did she keep the colours so intense? I think this piece is a joyful experiment with the relationship between colour and form. It reminds me of Carmen Herrera or Ellsworth Kelly, those artists are also trying to get the colours to sit just right. Ultimately, painting is a conversation, across time and place. I'm inspired by Loewensberg’s colour choices, her sense of humour, and the possibilities of abstraction. It embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, which allows for multiple interpretations and meaning.