Midnight 2011

Bernadette Resha made this painting, Midnight, using gentle brushstrokes and a palette of subdued browns, blacks, and whites. The cat’s fur looks like it has been rendered with soft, almost tentative strokes, each dab of paint building up the texture and depth of its coat. There is a tenderness here, a fragility that speaks to the artist’s connection with the subject. I can imagine Resha in the studio, carefully observing the cat, trying to capture not just its physical appearance but its very essence. The background, with its muted tones and blurred lines, adds to the intimate feeling of the piece. It’s like the world outside fades away, and all that matters is this quiet moment between artist and muse. The softness reminds me of Fairfield Porter’s paintings and how he combined observation with emotional resonance. Artists like Porter show us how art can be a bridge between the seen and the felt, a conversation between the artist and the world, each informing the other.