Ancient Universal Royals 2006

Jack Armstrong made this painting, “Ancient Universal Royals”, at an unknown date with paint on canvas. Look at the frenetic energy of this piece! Orange, blue, and red paint are slung, dripped and dabbed on the canvas, with loops of color floating in the center. I’m imagining Armstrong in the throes of creation. Was he thinking about some grand, cosmic theme, or was he just letting the paint fly? I can feel a real sense of freedom and spontaneity, like he's working through something, embracing accidents and unexpected marks. See those drips on the right edge? They're like tears or little waterfalls of color. For me, painting is a way of thinking through feeling, and I wonder if he felt the same. Maybe he saw his world reflected in the paint, or maybe he was just lost in the joy of making. Either way, it’s all part of the grand conversation that painters have been having for centuries.