The Center 1943

Richard Pousette-Dart made this painting, The Center, with the kind of open-ended process that lets a painting grow organically. Look at how he builds up the surface, layer upon layer. You can almost feel the texture, a kind of gritty mix of paint, and maybe even some other stuff mixed in. There's a real physicality here, a sense of the artist working and reworking the surface. It reminds me that making art is like having a conversation, where you add to it, scrape away, and then respond to what’s already there. See that central circle? It's kind of a focal point. All of these lines and marks seem to radiate from it, as if energy is being released or drawn in. Pousette-Dart reminds me a little of Mark Tobey, with his all-over compositions and interest in spiritual themes. But, in the end, this piece is a journey into the artist's unique vision, inviting us to contemplate the mystery and beauty of the creative process.