Summer Red 1972

Editor: Warren Rohrer's 1972 watercolor painting, "Summer Red," strikes me as simultaneously serene and intense. The subtle variations within the dominant red create this vibrating energy that is almost palpable. It feels very meditative, yet… fiery. What do you see in this piece, that I might be missing? Curator: "Fiery," I like that! It’s funny, when I look at "Summer Red," I don’t immediately jump to fire. I’m more in the heat haze shimmering off a wheat field in high summer, you know? Rohrer grew up on a farm; his connection to the land was incredibly deep. So what appears abstract is actually deeply rooted in something tangible. Editor: That’s fascinating! So, the organic feel I get isn't just me projecting? It really is connected to the natural world? Curator: Absolutely! He abstracts the landscape down to its barest essence: color, light, and texture. Notice how he’s layered the paint to create this incredibly subtle grid. It almost looks like tiny furrows in a field, right? It’s color-field painting but filtered through Rohrer’s lived experience, through memory. Do you get that sense of quiet dedication, like a farmer tending to their land, patiently coaxing life from it? Editor: I do now! It’s not just a block of color anymore. Knowing his background, it makes so much sense! I really see the texture and understand how that connects to the landscape in a way that I didn’t initially. Curator: It is a real gift when looking at artwork reveals the personal experiences or dedication involved in it. Editor: Agreed, thank you so much.