Vanilla 2010

Ralph Goings made this painting, Vanilla, using oils probably sometime in the late 20th century. The way Goings lays down the paint feels precise, but it's also kind of gooey and luscious, mirroring the texture of the donut itself. Artmaking as a process is like baking, you need the right ingredients. Look at how the glaze cascades down the donut's side—it's so thick, you can almost taste the sugar. The paint application isn't trying to hide itself. You can see each brushstroke, the way the colors blend and layer, creating this depth that makes the donut seem so real. The green background is also amazing. So flat. It's almost like a stage setting. It reminds me a little of Wayne Thiebaud, who also painted desserts, but Goings has this different kind of almost melancholic realism. It feels very American, but that might just be my reading. Ultimately, a painting like this embraces a kind of delicious ambiguity, inviting you to see beauty in the everyday.