Tarot 2005

Nelson Shanks painted “Tarot” with oil on canvas. Look at how the cool blue brushstrokes in the background contrast with the warmth of her skin! I can almost feel the texture of the paint, built up layer by layer. There's something so intimate about the way he captured this woman. I wonder what she’s thinking, gazing upwards, holding that little slip of paper. Maybe she’s pondering the cards she’s been dealt in life. You know, painting a portrait is like having a conversation with your subject. Each brushstroke is a question, an answer, a revelation. Shanks was clearly fascinated by this woman; you can see it in the way he rendered the subtle nuances of her expression. Painters are always looking at each other’s work, picking up on ideas, responding to what’s come before. It’s a beautiful, ongoing dialogue that stretches across time. And that’s what makes painting so special—it’s a way of connecting with the past, the present, and the future, all at once.