Reanna’s Gaze 2020

Lanise Howard made "Reanna's Gaze" using oil paint and a careful eye. The way Howard blends those pastel tones in the background, it’s like watching a sunset – soft, dreamy, and a little unreal. Look at Reanna's hands, so delicately clasped. The light catches the gold of her watch and ring, little sparks of warmth against the cool denim of her jeans. It’s like Howard is saying, "Hey, pay attention to the small stuff, it's where the real story is." And then there's that pixelated halo above her head, those neat blocks of color that both obscure and reveal. It’s a total process move, breaking down color to its simplest parts and reassembling it in a new way. Howard’s work reminds me of Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, who paints these incredible portraits of imagined people, full of mood and mystery. Art is just one big conversation, isn't it? Each artist building on what came before, remixing it, making it their own.