Jade Buddha 23.07.08 2008

John Hoyland made this painting, Jade Buddha 23.07.08, in 2008, using acrylic on canvas. Look at the dominant jade and green color palette against the dark background. It's like a vibrant splash in the night, you know? I can imagine Hoyland in his studio, totally immersed, experimenting, throwing paint. He’s playing with different consistencies, thin washes, thick impasto. There are these splatters and drips, and that bold blue circle, like an orbit. It feels spontaneous, but also considered. It’s interesting how Hoyland lets the paint do its thing, but there is also a sense of control. It reminds me of the Abstract Expressionists, like Helen Frankenthaler, in the way he’s staining the canvas. But he’s also got his own thing going on with those vibrant colors and bold shapes. Painting is like having a conversation with other painters, across time. It’s all just one big exchange of ideas, you know?