Portrait of a Blonde Beauty c. 1955

Edwin Georgi made this portrait in pastel, sometime in the mid-20th century. It’s this incredible push-pull between idealized beauty and frank, unvarnished mark-making. The painting is a symphony of soft hues – peaches and creams layered with surprising hits of viridian and teal – but Georgi doesn't hide his process. You can see how the strokes of color give shape to her face, how each mark trembles with indecision and resolve, and the weight of this tension. I imagine Georgi, stepping back, squinting, then leaning in again. The way he’s built up her blonde hair is like peering through a kaleidoscope – a dense network of strokes that somehow coalesce into something recognizable. It reminds me of how other painters like Alice Neel or Marlene Dumas would be unafraid to leave their working process visible. It's like they're saying, "Here's the trick, now you try!" And in the end, isn't that what art is all about?