A swarming 1938

Paul Klee made this small watercolor called "A Swarming" at some point, I guess, in the late 1930s. The feeling you get is of something that is literally swarming, like Klee has let his painting have its own way – the black outline looping around the central figure, the red dots scattered like confetti, and the flower on the chest, these are all like different voices that make it feel so alive! I can imagine Klee thinking, "How can I make this painting move?", he gives the impression that the figures are not just standing still. It is the color, you see, that is so key. The palette of muted whites, browns, and blues create depth and shadow, while the sporadic pops of brighter color, they energize the surface. It makes me want to pick up a brush. Artists, like Klee, we learn from each other, and we push each other to think differently about what a painting can be.