Meowtide 2021

James Jean created ‘Meowtide’ using oil and acrylic on canvas. It's so rich and intricate, I wonder how long he spent on it. The palette feels retro and modern at the same time: red and pinks swirl and wave together like some gorgeous confectionary nightmare; it's offset with a calming cool blue around the central figure who carries white cats. A constellation of yellow stars sit just so around their shoulders like lucky charms. I wonder if James Jean likes the work of Yayoi Kusama? I imagine him looking at that work, thinking about how to fill up all the negative space and make a painting that you can just dive right into. When I look at the painting, I feel like I am being sucked into a vortex. I can almost feel the spray of the waves. I'm curious to know what the painting means to him, but I also love that I can project my own feelings onto it.