Beacon 2010

Rochelle Blumenfeld’s 'Beacon' is a painting of indeterminate date, where you can see the ghost of the process. It's like the painting came into being by itself. The paint is layered, almost translucent in places, giving it a feeling of depth. There’s this dance between light and shadow, warm and cool colors. See how the lines aren't quite straight and the shapes are a bit wonky? It reminds me of Richard Diebenkorn’s 'Ocean Park' series, where the grid becomes a way to explore color and space, but here in 'Beacon' it's less structured. There's an area, right in the center, where the colors intensify, where you can see a build up of marks, like a palimpsest of gestures. I like that it doesn't give you all the answers, that it leaves room for doubt, for multiple readings.