Child in the Garden 1978

Chaibia Talal made this with paint – you can see the brushstrokes – and I bet she stood up while she was working on it. I'm curious, was the child in the garden first, or the garden around the child? The blue is such a strong ground, with that intense green laid on top, in broad strokes, like a big, leafy embrace. Look at the eyes, the hands, they're all asking to be seen, to be noticed. I think of Joan Miró, but also children’s drawings, how they don’t fuss about perspective or getting it “right,” they just express what they feel. The black lines are so bold, confident. I bet Talal didn’t overthink it. I like that. It makes me want to grab some brushes and make my own garden of gestures, full of feeling. You should try it.