Deer 1993

Bo Bartlett made this painting, Deer, and I just love the color. The deer stands so alertly on a hill of tawny grass against a hazy, pale blue sky. It's like you can feel the air. I wonder what Bartlett was thinking, what it was like to stand in front of the canvas and make this thing? It must have been nice; that brown is so rich and warm. You know, the way the light glances off the deer’s flank makes me think of other painters, like maybe Andrew Wyeth or even some of the Hudson River School guys. It’s like Bartlett’s in this big conversation with them across time, each adding his own little bit to the story. And isn't that what painting's all about? That ongoing exchange, that constant back-and-forth. Each artist kind of borrowing, riffing, and twisting what came before into something new. It's a beautiful conversation.