Tired 2020

Jammie Holmes’ painting, "Tired," is a study in contrasts, painted with a directness that cuts through the surface. The emerald green of the velvet couch vibrates against the deep red of the floor, setting the stage for the figure who stretches across it. I can imagine the artist, maybe late at night, wrestling with this composition. The figure's limbs are angular, almost geometric, and the white socks provide a graphic punch that really pops. The paint is applied flatly in some areas, while other areas, such as the background, have looser brushwork. The whole painting feels urgent, like Holmes needed to get this image out. Maybe he was thinking about representation, or the everyday moments of rest that often go unseen. This painting is a little like Alice Neel in its unflinching portrayal of the human condition. It reminds us that painting can be both an act of documentation and a deeply personal form of expression. It’s a conversation, an idea passed between painters through the ages, and a continuous, beautiful struggle.