Beaudelaire 1986

Sam Francis made this gorgeous yellow painting called ‘Beaudelaire’ with juicy strokes of color dancing across the canvas. Imagine him in the studio, holding a brush loaded with paint, letting it drip and splatter, maybe even flicking it with his wrist. I can almost feel the energy of the moment he made this. What was he thinking? Was he trying to capture a feeling, a memory, or just the sheer joy of putting paint to surface? The yellow is so vibrant, it feels like sunshine on a summer day. Notice how some areas are thick and textured, while others are thin and transparent, like delicate veils. There's one big looping gesture at the bottom that anchors the whole composition. It feels so free and spontaneous. I love how painters are always in conversation with each other. Francis was surely looking at Pollock, and all the French modernists. Painting is like a language we all speak, sharing ideas and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. It is a form of expression that embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations.