Nedah Clouds 2015

Felice House painted this portrait, Nedah Clouds, with what looks like oil on canvas. The way she’s handled the pinks and blues of the sky feels intuitive, like she's figuring it out as she goes. I love that sense of process. Look at the way the colours in the sky almost bleed into the woman’s skin, it's pretty skillful. The paint isn't too thick, but you can still see the brushstrokes, especially in the cloud formations. There’s a softness to the whole thing, like a memory or a dream. Notice the subtle gradations of colour around her cheekbones and brow, and the way the light catches her lips. The artist has really taken her time with the face. It’s as if she’s trying to capture not just a likeness, but a feeling. It makes me think of early Alex Katz, where the figure and ground are totally integrated. To me, it speaks to the ambiguity of being, a way of seeing that embraces multiple interpretations.