Head of a Young Girl 1917

Henri Matisse made "Head of a Young Girl" with oil paint sometime in his career. It’s all about the juicy paint, how it’s laid down in these straightforward strokes, making no attempt to hide the hand. The colors are simple: pink, brown, red, and this super cool minty green for the bow – yum! Check out the thickness of the paint around the girl’s face; each stroke is like a little sculpture, building up the form. It's like Matisse is saying, "Hey, this is paint, and I'm using it to make something.” The brushstrokes are confident, almost playful. Like the strokes across her fringe, and those little dabs of red that make up her mouth. It's a study in simplicity and directness. It reminds me a bit of Alex Katz, in the sense of reducing form to its most essential elements. Art is like a big conversation, everyone riffing off each other, trying to figure things out.