Suave Como La Noche 1982

Carlos Almaraz’s painting “Suave Como La Noche” is a dreamy, pastel-infused landscape. It’s got a velvety surface, built up with layers of color that glow like the setting sun. I imagine Almaraz, brush in hand, conjuring this scene not from direct observation, but from the depths of memory and emotion. The silhouette of the city in the background suggests a specific place, maybe even Los Angeles where he lived, but it feels more like a stage set. The pink and red verticals cutting through the scene disrupt our reading of space. They pull the eye, creating a rhythm that's both comforting and unsettling. Is it a screen? Or a series of painted tree trunks? That single red flower on the left anchors the composition and also gives it a strange, otherworldly feel. Almaraz plays with our sense of scale and perspective, challenging us to question what we see, and how we see it. There is an echo of Matisse here, or Diebenkorn. It's all part of the ongoing conversation between painters. Each artist contributes their own unique perspective, building on what has come before.