In the spring in the park, near the children's pendulum (early plein air work) 1992

Alfred Freddy Krupa made this watercolor painting, In the spring in the park, near the children's pendulum, early in his career, doing what artists do, painting from life. It’s a riot of greens and browns, rendered with a sort of loose, wet-on-wet technique that feels both spontaneous and deeply considered. Look at how the pigment bleeds and blends, creating these hazy, atmospheric effects. You can almost feel the dampness of the spring air. The artist has allowed the watercolor to do its thing. The sketchy blue lines defining the shapes add to the sense of movement. There's something so immediate and unfiltered about this piece, like a direct transcription of a moment in time. And it reminds me of the work of Bonnard, the way he captured the fleeting beauty of everyday life with such tenderness and intimacy. Like Bonnard, Krupa shows how painting is really a way of thinking.