Bathing Beauty in Sun Hat c. late 1930s - 1940s

Rolf Armstrong’s “Bathing Beauty in Sun Hat” emerges with soft strokes of pastel, picturing a sun-drenched reverie. Imagine the artist, Rolf, carefully layering color, building up the scene. You see the strokes, the texture, the hand of the artist present in the work. I wonder what it felt like to make this work, how he felt about his model? This piece is so much about the artist's gaze, maybe even his desire… The reds, yellows, and blues, while conventional, invite a sense of warmth and nostalgia. I’m struck by the slight awkwardness of the pose, the flatness of the figures; and yet this all gives the picture a distinct personality. This piece reminds me of a lot of artists and illustrators working around that time, but mostly it feels like an homage to leisure. Artists are always in conversation with each other, borrowing and riffing on ideas, even across generations. Painting, for me, is about embracing uncertainty, trusting the process, and allowing for multiple interpretations.