Beaudelaire 1986

Sam Francis made Beaudelaire with paint, though the exact date is unknown; it is a pure exploration of process. The whole surface seems like a big, happy accident, full of drips and splatters in one concentrated shade of yellow. You can see how the paint pools and spreads, each mark telling a bit about how Francis was moving. It’s almost like watching him dance with the canvas. Look at the lower left corner. See how the curved shapes overlap, kind of like a deconstructed rainbow? The paint is thin, almost watery in places, but then thickens into juicy blobs. Those little details, the way the paint catches the light and the way the colors blend, give the painting its energy. It reminds me a little of Joan Mitchell’s loose and free gestures, both artists letting the paint do its thing, finding beauty in the unpredictable. Ultimately, the magic of this piece is that it’s not about any one thing. It’s more about the feeling, the joy of making, and the endless possibilities of paint.