Ice Blue 

Jeff Jamison's "Ice Blue" captures a scene washed in a cool, reflective light, evoking a sense of modern isolation. The bar setting, punctuated by figures in solitude, presents a contemporary echo of earlier vanitas paintings, reminding us of the fleeting nature of human interaction. Consider the reflective surfaces, they mirror not just the physical space but also a deeper psychological state. Reflections have long symbolized introspection and the dual nature of reality, present in works from Renaissance portraits to the mirrored halls of Versailles, each reflecting power, vanity, or the quest for self-understanding. Here, the motif is fractured and diffuse, resonating with our era’s fragmented sense of self. The pervasive blue tonality underscores a melancholic mood, reminiscent of the "Blue Period" of Picasso, which was saturated with themes of loneliness and poverty. The color blue, often associated with introspection, invites a contemplation of individual existence within the broader, often indifferent, modern world. Ultimately, the artwork’s power lies in its ability to tap into a collective memory of artistic expressions of human solitude, reinvented for a contemporary audience.