Slow Down 1969

Arthur Sarnoff created this painting, "Slow Down," sometime in the mid-20th century, probably with oil on canvas. The scene teems with bright colors, a playful moment captured with a brushy, cheerful energy. I can almost feel Sarnoff wrestling with the composition, trying to balance the elements just so. What was it like for him, I wonder, setting up this scene? Did he work from a real-life model, or conjure it all from his imagination? The light and shadow play across the figures, giving them a kind of solidity, but also a sense of fleetingness, as if they might disappear at any moment. The way he handles the paint, thick in some areas, thin in others, it gives the whole thing a kind of vibrancy. Look at the way the cop holds his hand up, like “hey kids!”— the gesture feels so alive. Sarnoff, like Norman Rockwell, has this knack for capturing everyday life, but with a touch of humor, and a wink. Painters are always chatting to each other, across time and space. Arthur Sarnoff makes me want to go straight to my studio to get painting.