Wall Painting 1936

Dayton Brown made this wall painting, though we're not sure exactly when, but look at the way he's got these colors interacting – it’s like a conversation, a back-and-forth between the hand and the eye. The texture is really interesting, the way the paint sits on the surface. It's not trying to hide anything, you know? It's just laying it all out there. The coral pink against the yellow – such a strange combo, it shouldn't work, but it totally does! Notice the almost floral flourish to the left, these organic shapes are set against the rigid lines of the architectural elements. The artist isn't trying to trick you with illusions, it's just paint doing its thing, making something new. This reminds me a bit of Forrest Bess, with the kind of imagery you might find on a tiled floor in ancient Rome or in a dream. Ultimately, art is about exchange, a dialogue. What is this painting saying to you?