Ann, Thinking, with Flowers 1960

John Bratby painted "Ann, Thinking, with Flowers," with what looks like oil paint applied pretty thickly. The surface has a real physicality, doesn't it? You can almost feel the way Bratby loaded up his brush. The paint isn’t shy; it’s right there on the surface, demanding your attention. The strokes around Ann’s face are particularly intense, like he’s trying to capture not just her likeness, but also the energy of her thoughts. The way he builds up the layers of color, especially in her hair, creates a sense of depth and movement. It makes me think a bit of Van Gogh, in the way he fearlessly piled on the paint. Both artists seem to embrace the messiness of artmaking, reminding us that the process is just as important as the final image. And isn’t that what art is all about - a conversation across time?