Clouds Over Monument Valley 1980

David Chethlahe Paladin made this painting, Clouds Over Monument Valley, using watercolor, though the date is unknown. Notice how Paladin lets the watercolor bleed and blend, creating these atmospheric effects. The washes of blue and purple, and the way they pool and dry, give the sky a real sense of depth and mystery. This dreamy palette creates a surreal backdrop for the figure dancing across the landscape. I'm drawn to the way the colors mix on the paper, the soft edges and the way the washes create textures almost by accident. See the clouds, there's this loose and intuitive approach to painting that really speaks to me. Look closely at the figure, especially the head and mask. He's rendered with such crisp geometric simplicity, which contrasts so well with the fluidity of the sky. Paladin seems like he’s riffing on ideas from artists like Paul Klee, who also mixed abstraction with spiritual themes. These are paintings that invite us to see the world in new and unexpected ways.