Yam Multi Color 1995

Emily Kame Kngwarreye made "Yam Multi Color" with loose, gestural marks in shades of ochre, red, yellow, and blue dancing across a black background. I’m imagining her, brush in hand, maybe squatting or sitting on the ground, letting the colors swirl and collide. You know, painting is this funny thing – you start with a blank surface and then you just start making marks, and it's like you're trying to figure something out. I wonder what she was thinking about while making this painting. Maybe the cycles of nature, the way things grow and change? I really love how these yam-like tendrils overlap. The dark background really makes the colors pop. The brushstrokes have this lovely, casual energy. It reminds me of some of Joan Mitchell's or even Brice Marden’s work. Painters have always looked at each other, and responded to the past. They are in an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas. Ultimately, painting is about being present, open to whatever happens, and trusting the process. There's no right or wrong way to do it, just different ways of seeing and feeling.