Bubble bubble toil and trouble 2016

Camilla d’Errico made this painting, Bubble bubble toil and trouble, sometime in the 20th century, using a light colour palette, and delicate approach to mark making. The first thing that strikes me is the surface of the painting: it's so smooth it's almost like glass, yet the figure feels totally immersed in the scene. The hair cascades out across the surface of the water. It’s got a gentle rainbow glow, like petrol on the ground after it rains. It leads your eye around the artwork, like a rollercoaster track. And those eyes! They reflect the blue of the sky in the middle of the day, drawing you in, and making you wonder what this figure is really thinking. It makes me think of Yoshitomo Nara, in the way it uses the sweetness of childhood to explore profound emotions. It’s the kind of work that makes you feel a little unsettled, but in a good way.