Freckles 2014

Bernadette Resha made this painting, *Freckles*, using oil paint to bring a spotted yellow bloom to life against a deep green backdrop. You know, painting flowers can be tricky. How do you avoid just being pretty? Resha gives this flower a lot of presence, making you feel its weight and texture. I can imagine her, brush in hand, carefully placing each brown spot, almost like she's mapping a constellation. There is a gentle layering of color, and a sense of movement and growth. It makes me think about Georgia O’Keefe getting up close with flowers, or maybe even Van Gogh’s sunflowers. Painting is like having a conversation with all the artists who came before you. Each brushstroke is a thought, an emotion, a tiny little poem. And when we look at a painting, we join that conversation.