Young Woman Turning to Her Right 

Editor: Here we have Graydon Parrish's oil painting, "Young Woman Turning to Her Right". It strikes me as both classical and intensely personal, somehow intimate despite its detachment. The subject’s gaze is averted, her expression is unreadable, which makes you wonder, what's she thinking? What do you see in this portrait? Curator: Oh, I think that averted gaze is everything. She’s not offering herself to us, is she? Parrish has captured her in a moment of internal reflection, turning away, almost bashful or hesitant. It makes her so incredibly human, doesn't it? I am also fascinated by the way the light plays on her face. He's using realism in a way that isn't photo-realistic at all - which speaks to emotional, not literal truth, and how it resonates with me. Editor: Exactly, it's that blend of observed reality and maybe felt reality, right? You almost forget it's oil paint because she seems to exist right there. Does that make sense? Curator: Perfectly. Parrish's work captures a specific quality of youth, perhaps a dawning self-awareness? It reminds me, dare I say, of my own adolescence… Do you see what I mean about the painting leaning into truth beyond just documentation? Editor: Yes, absolutely. It's about finding those moments where art touches reality and transforms it into something…more. Curator: Precisely! I think what this portrait evokes most is the simple power of observation - watching, waiting, knowing there's a world contained in everyone, including this Young Woman turning to her right. Editor: That's given me a lot to think about. Thanks for your perspective.