Willie Stargell 1980

LeRoy Neiman made this image of Willie Stargell with paint and probably some brushes, though maybe a palette knife snuck in there too. It’s all about process, you know, the kind where the joy is in the making. Look at how Neiman builds up the image, stroke by stroke, each dab a decision. The colors are vivid, almost electric, a pop art explosion of oranges, yellows, and blues. The surface is alive with texture, each stroke a physical gesture, urgent and full of energy. Notice how the yellow of Stargell’s pants bleeds into the ground, how the red comes up to meet it. It’s like he’s not just painting a picture, but capturing a feeling, the thrill of the game. Neiman reminds me a bit of someone like Joan Mitchell, in how he manages to capture a sense of movement and energy through color and gesture. It's all about the push and pull, the back and forth, leaving us with something that feels both complete and open-ended.