Summer Fun 1966 - 1967

Gil Elvgren made this painting, Summer Fun, with oil paint, and you can really feel the process. He’s not trying to hide anything with a lot of blending. Look at how the paint sits on the surface! You can see the brushstrokes right there in the sky, swirling around. And the sand has got these creamy, thick dabs of paint that make you want to run your toes through it. It’s like he’s not just painting a picture but building a world right there on the canvas. The red of the bikini is so luscious and bright, a color that really pops against the muted tones of the beach. It draws you in, right to the center of the scene. Elvgren reminds me a little bit of Wayne Thiebaud, with his focus on everyday pleasures and his love of luscious colors. But where Thiebaud's got this cool, detached kind of vibe, Elvgren is all about warmth and invitation. Both artists embrace the joy of painting, inviting us to see the world with a little more delight and a little less judgment.