Dog and Groom 1991

Alex Colville made this painting, 'Dog and Groom,' with a meticulous eye, capturing a quiet moment between a man and his dog. The subdued palette and the fine brushwork give it a sense of stillness. Colville's way of building up the image through layers of thin paint creates a smooth surface, almost like looking at a photograph. But then, the slight imperfections, like the tiny variations in the dog's fur or the subtle brushstrokes in the wooden floor, remind you it's a painting. The texture is so smooth! Check out how Colville uses light and shadow to define the forms, making the dog's presence so solid and real. The way the dog looks out at us, there's a strange intimacy. It reminds me a bit of Edward Hopper, the way he captures these ordinary moments that feel so loaded. Like Hopper, Colville seems to say so much with so little. It's all about looking closely and letting the image speak to you, without needing to spell everything out.