Fight or Flight 2013

Rose Freymuth-Frazier painted "Fight or Flight" with oils, and what strikes me first is the soft, diffused light, giving everything a kind of hazy, dreamlike quality. It’s like the edges are blurred, not just of the forms, but also of the story itself. Look at the skin of the dogs, how Freymuth-Frazier uses a stippling effect, dabbing the paint to create texture and volume. It gives the dogs a palpable, almost tactile presence, like you could reach out and feel the short hairs. The way the dogs press into the woman and nuzzle creates this interesting tension, the softness of affection mixed with something more guarded. I’m also reminded of Paula Rego, in the way that the artist creates these complex emotional narratives. Are the dogs here as protection, or are they being controlled? It's like Freymuth-Frazier isn't offering any easy answers.