Motel morning 

Nigel Van Wieck made this painting, Motel morning, with oil on board. The rough texture of the board, and the directness of oil paint application, gives the painting an intimate, immediate quality. You can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the surface. This process connects us to a history of modern art, from Impressionism to Abstract Expressionism, where the artist’s touch is celebrated. But Van Wieck’s choice of subject matter sets this work apart. There’s a sense of voyeurism, as we peer into a private moment. The motel room setting suggests a transient, anonymous existence, far removed from the romantic ideals of art history. The casual, even mundane nature of the scene challenges traditional notions of beauty and artistic value. Instead, Van Wieck finds beauty in the everyday, elevating the ordinary to the level of art. This approach invites us to reconsider the relationship between art and life, and to find meaning in the overlooked corners of our world.