La Plage à Deauville 1986

LeRoy Neiman made this painting of Deauville Beach with what looks like acrylic or maybe fast-drying oils. It's this riot of color and frenetic energy, very much about the act of painting as performance, you know? Look at the way he's laid down these juicy strokes, how the surface isn't about hiding the process but flaunting it. The paint is applied with a sort of confident haste, thick in some spots, almost transparent in others, which gives the whole scene a vibrant, almost electric feel. See how he captures the essence of the beach, not with photorealistic detail, but through these bold, expressive marks? Take that bright yellow umbrella in the foreground – it's like a sun itself, radiating warmth and joy. It’s almost kitsch, but in the best way. Neiman reminds me a little of Peter Max, though maybe with more emphasis on the figure. What I like most is that it embraces the messiness and contradictions of life. It’s not about perfection; it’s about capturing a fleeting moment, a mood, an impression.