Making Magic 1988

Margo Humphrey made this print called, "Making Magic," and she dove headfirst into a world of color, where the familiar and the fantastical dance together. It’s like she’s not just depicting a scene, but inviting us into a process, a ritual. Look at how the colors push and pull against each other, those vibrant blues against the warm reds, that electric yellow. It gives the image a kind of vibrating energy. The textures, too, are all about the physicality of mark-making. The surfaces are alive with scribbles, scratches, and layered colors. Check out the way Humphrey renders the figures, their skin a deep, rich black. They’re set against this bright, almost theatrical backdrop. It gives them a powerful presence, like they're conjuring a world into being. I’m reminded of Elizabeth Murray and how she, too, wasn’t afraid to push boundaries and play with form. Art isn't about answers, it's about the questions, the possibilities, the magic we can make together.