Wine Goddess 1980

LeRoy Neiman made this oil painting called “Wine Goddess” with luscious, expressive marks of red, yellow and blue that just pop. I can imagine Neiman, brush in hand, circling around the canvas, laying down each stroke with the energy of a jazz solo. The paint looks pretty thick, almost like frosting, giving the painting a tangible, textured surface. The goddess and the figure next to her, they’re not just figures, they are built up from confident strokes of the brush, each mark adding to the overall feeling of celebratory abundance. The way Neiman’s put down the red is like he’s not just painting a colour, but also the feeling of richness, lust for life... I think, wow, this guy really knew how to make paint sing. It's a reminder that painting isn't just about representing something, but making something new.