La femme aux lunettes 2013

Eric Massholder painted "La femme aux lunettes," at an undetermined date on a large canvas, a kind of playful take on portraiture. The painting is all about seeing, literally and figuratively. The dark background makes the electric blue of the glasses pop, a blue so pure it feels almost unreal. The red outlines seem to vibrate, like a neon sign. Looking closely at the woman holding up the glasses, you can see the paint drips and streaks, revealing the process, nothing is hidden. It’s like Massholder is saying, "Here's how I see, and here's how I made you see it too." I’m reminded of Francis Picabia, especially in the way Massholder embraces both figuration and abstraction and uses transparency and layering to create depth. Ultimately, "La femme aux lunettes" is a reminder that art is about opening our eyes and questioning what we see, a conversation between the artist, the subject, and us.