Untitled (ABC with Yellow and Green) 1967

John Altoon made this untitled painting with bright color and spontaneous brushstrokes. It's like he's letting the paint do its thing, embracing the messiness of the process. I love how he's layered the colors – the bold yellows and greens, mixed with blues, feel fresh. You can practically see the energy of his hand as he's making each mark. Look at that chunky green shape at the bottom. It's like a block of pure color, built up with thick strokes, somehow suggesting a landscape, but really it is about the stuff of the paint, the physical act of applying it. Altoon's work reminds me a bit of Joan Mitchell's, in the way they both use color and gesture to express a feeling. Both artists share a commitment to the materiality of paint and the endless possibilities for expression. Art is a conversation, and Altoon's painting is a lively voice in that conversation, inviting us to see and feel the world in new ways.