Outside Influence 2020

Jason Limon painted this on who-knows-what-year with oil on canvas, and you know, it’s like, whoa, right? Imagine Limon there, layering this bone-like form that's been cracked open, revealing the artist’s inner sanctum. Inside this skull we see another skull being painted by a skeleton. Is Limon suggesting that our minds are our studios and our bodies are merely the easels that carry them? What I love about this piece is the texture of the canvas and how the paint seems to weep down the sides like tears. I get such a kick out of the way painters like Limon throw in these little jokes—the skull painting a skull, the skeleton holding up the lid. It’s like he's winking at us, letting us know that art doesn't have to take itself so seriously. Ultimately, it’s this playful spirit that makes you want to keep looking, and makes Limon someone to look out for.