Wild Roses 1961

Fairfield Porter painted Wild Roses with oil on canvas, using visible brushstrokes to capture the essence of the scene. It feels as though he wasn't trying to render every detail perfectly, instead, the focus seems to be on the overall impression, the feeling of being there. Look at the way Porter builds up the rose bush with these layers of greens and pinks. The paint is applied pretty thickly in places, creating a nice texture that gives the whole thing a tactile quality. It's like you can almost feel the roughness of the leaves and the delicate petals of the roses. And the way he's handled the light, the way the colours shift and change depending on the light source – it's really beautiful. The painting reminds me a little of Bonnard, particularly in its informal approach and the focus on capturing a fleeting moment. But Porter brings his own sensibility to it, a kind of American directness. I love how he isn't afraid to leave things unresolved, to let the painting breathe.