Cutting Through Cold Water 2016

Mark Maggiori's painting "Cutting Through Cold Water" is a recent work depicting a cowboy on horseback, forging a river. The painting’s smooth surface, almost photographic in its detail, belies the labor involved. Look closely, and you’ll see the subtle blending of colors in the water, the way the light catches the horse’s flank, and the small dashes of white that animate the water's surface. The tension between stillness and movement is key here. The reflected landscape is so crisp it gives the water a mirror-like quality. But the horse and rider are in motion, disrupting the calm with splashes and ripples. This contrast activates the painting for me. It speaks to the way we make our mark on the world, how every action, no matter how small, leaves a trace. It reminds me of the work of painters like Frederic Remington, who captured the spirit of the American West with similar attention to detail and a sense of dramatic narrative. But Maggiori brings a contemporary sensibility to the genre, updating it for a new generation.