Paris Gothic 1993

Ed Clark made this painting, "Paris Gothic," with big, bold strokes of color—reds, blues, greens, and whites. I can almost feel him standing in front of the canvas, brush in hand, figuring things out as he goes. It’s like he's in a conversation with the painting, each stroke a new thought, a new direction. The paint looks fluid, not too thick, kind of gliding across the surface. I love how the curved shapes meet, kind of like a dance. I bet Clark was thinking about all the other painters who came before him, maybe even those Gothic arches he named the painting after, turning something old into something totally fresh. It makes you realize we're all just riffing off each other, borrowing ideas, and making something new. Painting isn't about having all the answers, it's about asking questions and seeing where they lead.