President Bill Clinton 2006

Chuck Close made this huge painting of President Bill Clinton with oil on canvas. You know, looking at it, I'm reminded that art isn't just about capturing a likeness; it's about how we see, how we piece things together. Up close, each square is its own little world of color and texture. Some are smooth, some have these little swirls. The whole thing shimmers like a mosaic. Take a look at the area around the eyes, it’s not just blue, it’s layers of blues and browns and whites, all mashed together, but from a distance it comes together. It makes me think of Gerhard Richter, who also blurred the lines between representation and abstraction. Close invites us to see the world in a new way. It's not about perfection; it's about the process, the journey of looking and making.