Cow drinking water 1972

Ivan Generalic’s painting, “Cow drinking water,” captures a rural scene with a magical realist’s eye. It's a winter wonderland! Imagine Generalic layering those flat planes of icy blue and white to create the snow-covered ground. Then, with a fine brush, he outlines the buildings and bare trees. What was he thinking when he decided to make the cow such a bold shade of red? It is like the animal is on fire, standing out against the cool, muted surroundings. The scene has folk art’s directness. It’s as if he’s inviting us into his childhood memories, showing us a world where colors pop and everything feels a bit dreamlike. It reminds me of Grandma Moses, whose scenes of American life have a similar sense of nostalgia. Artists like Generalic create their own visual language, reinventing tradition with an idiosyncratic spirit.