Thru the Window 1938 - 1939

Mark Rothko made this gouache on paper, called 'Thru the Window'. It's a small, intimate work with a muted palette, almost like a memory fading into the paper. The application is wispy and washy, a kind of searching, which chimes with my own sense of painting as a process of discovery. Look at the red easel to the right. The way the red is layered on, it’s not just a color, it's a presence, like a jolt of energy amidst the muted tones, and the pale, ghostlike figures set within an interior scene. The paint isn't trying to hide itself; it's there on the surface, unapologetically, which feels so honest. I love how it disrupts the composition and forces your eye to refocus. There's something about the way Rothko handles the paint that reminds me of Milton Avery, another painter who wasn't afraid to let color do the talking. I find that art is a constant conversation; nothing is ever truly finished, it just keeps evolving and changing.