The Robe Following Her (4) 1985

Jim Dine made this painting of a robe, likely in his studio, probably using acrylics or oils on canvas. The robe fills the frame, a burst of color emerging from a hazy background. I wonder what Jim was thinking when he made this? There’s something deeply personal about painting an object so closely associated with the body and the home. The robe is both intimate and performative, something worn in private moments but also presented to the world. I love how the paint is applied—thick in some areas, thin and washy in others. Look at the sleeve on the left, how the red merges into a grid, but the brushstrokes remain gestural and free. You can feel his hand moving, his decisions unfolding on the canvas. The paintings of David Hockney come to mind, in the way Jim uses bold colors to create a sense of presence and personality. Artists are always in conversation, and the way Jim approaches painting feels like a continuation of that dialogue. It’s less about perfection, more about discovery. Painting becomes this ongoing, embodied expression of feeling and inquiry.