The green with Erica 1970

George Mavroides made this painting, 'The green with Erica', with oil on canvas, and you can really see how he’s figuring things out as he goes. The strokes of color feel so fresh, like they're still wet! I’m really drawn to how Mavroides uses paint. It's pretty straightforward, and he’s not trying to hide anything. There's a kind of honesty in the brushstrokes, and the way he layers the paint gives the image a great energy. Erica’s shirt is a jumble of greens and blues, with these surprising hits of white that make it all pop. The way he renders the hands too, it's like he is building up these colours. This painting reminds me a bit of Fairfield Porter, who also had a knack for capturing the everyday with a similar kind of directness and charm. What I love about art is how it can be both familiar and strange, all at the same time, don’t you think?