Beach Shadows 1947

William Baziotes made this painting called Beach Shadows using oil paint, but its date is unknown. Looking at this painting, it feels like he’s not trying to nail anything down too precisely. It’s almost like he’s saying, “Here’s a feeling, a shadow, a beach maybe, but who knows?” He's letting the paint do its thing, kind of like a dance between intention and accident. I’m really drawn to the way Baziotes uses color, those sunny yellows against the blues and reds. It’s like a memory of a beach, not the beach itself, but the feeling of being there. Then there are these dark outlines, like he’s not afraid to let the messiness show through. See that curved form on the right? It’s so fluid, so unresolved, that it keeps you looking. This reminds me of Joan Miró and how he embraces the unknown and makes work that's an ongoing conversation, not a final statement.