Try on dreams until I find the one that fits me. They all fit me 2017

Amy Sherald’s painting, “Try on dreams until I find the one that fits me. They all fit me,” is made with oil paint and rendered with careful detail and a playful sense of possibility. I can imagine Sherald carefully building up the colors of the background, layering thin washes of lavender to create subtle textures and a dreamy atmosphere. The figure, painted in grayscale, stands out against this backdrop, a study in contrasts. I love how the grayscale and the colorful elements play against each other. The figure almost feels like a memory, something imagined. And then there's that hat! Those flowers must have been so fun to paint! Each petal, a stroke of color, a burst of joy. It feels so fresh, like a dialogue with Matisse, a painter who knew a thing or two about turning simple pleasures into profound statements. Sherald's work always seems to be in conversation with other artists. I see echoes of Kerry James Marshall in her commitment to portraiture.