Singing in the Choir 1973

Varnette Honeywood made this painting, "Singing in the Choir," using bright, flat colors to bring the scene to life. The way she simplifies the forms, like the woman’s round face or the geometric stained glass, gives it a warm, folk-art feel. What strikes me is the singer’s open mouth, like a dark cave, contrasted with the gold treble clef on her choir robe. It’s like she's wearing her heart on her sleeve, but in the form of a song. The texture looks pretty smooth, like she built up the paint in layers, carefully defining the shapes. You can almost feel the energy of the music radiating from her. Honeywood's work reminds me a bit of Romare Bearden, especially in the way they both use color and form to tell stories about community and culture. Art isn't about answers. It's more about the questions we ask and the feelings we share.