Chrysanthemum 2019

James Jean made this wild “Chrysanthemum,” and you can see how the painting emerged through trial, error, and intuition. I sympathize with James; I know what it’s like to try and bring something this complex into being. It's clear he was thinking hard about the material aspects of the painting. I love the thin paint, like watercolor, that lets the underlayers peek through. And look at those hands, how he uses those bold outlines to suggest form and feeling. You can see how this painting fits into his wider practice and body of work, as well as the work of other painters. Ultimately, artists are always in conversation, riffing off one another’s ideas and inspiring each other’s creativity. Painting is about embracing ambiguity, allowing for multiple interpretations and meanings.