The Joy Zone, paperback cover 1966

Robert Maguire painted this paperback cover, "The Joy Zone," sometime in the mid-20th century, probably in oil. The marks are quick and confident, like the painting was made in one sitting. Look at the way the green of the towel and the orange of the chair just barely touch, creating a spark that animates the whole composition. I love how the thin, pale skin tones contrast with the heavy shadows and the almost monochromatic brown background. You can almost smell the paint and turpentine. See how the sharp details in her face fade away as you move down her body? Maguire reminds me a bit of Alex Katz, another painter who's not afraid to be direct and a little bit corny. But that's what makes it great, right? It's like they are both trying to say something essential about life. They embrace the ambiguity, leaving room for our own interpretations.