Elephant Nocturne 1984

LeRoy Neiman made this image of elephants, seemingly at night, with paint that looks like it was applied with big, sweeping gestures. You can feel the artist's hand in the process, laying down these bold, energetic marks. I am really drawn to the tactile quality of this work. The way Neiman uses color is striking; blues and greens mix with blacks and yellows, but the paint handling itself really stands out. Look at the surface. It is rough, almost textural, and makes the animals seem to emerge from the canvas. In the lower part of the painting, the strokes are more horizontal, maybe suggesting water. The moon in the top right is just a dab of yellow. It's simple, but it really works! I see echoes of someone like Franz Kline in the boldness of the strokes, though Neiman applies this to figurative work. Both artists demonstrate the importance of process and mark-making in conveying energy and emotion. Art is like a conversation across time, artists responding to each other, creating their own versions of the world.