Sarah Fire 2015

Felice House painted “Sarah Fire” sometime in the late 20th century, probably in oil. You can see the artist making choices with every brushstroke. It’s like watching a dance between intention and accident. The texture isn’t trying to hide itself; it's right there on the surface. Look closely and you'll see how the paint is sometimes thick, almost sculptural, and other times thin and transparent, creating depth and atmosphere. Notice how House uses warm yellows and oranges to depict the forest fire in the background. The figure in the foreground is painted in cooler tones, creating a striking contrast. There’s this one spot, just above the figure’s right shoulder, where the paint is particularly thick and swirled. It looks like a little explosion of energy, a burst of creative freedom. It makes you wonder what it’s like to stand in front of a fire. You might be reminded of Gerhard Richter, who also embraced chance and accident in his work. Ultimately, painting is about the push and pull between control and surrender, and how much we can reveal about ourselves through our choices.