Hemlock 1956

Joan Mitchell painted "Hemlock" using oil on canvas, with a process that feels both chaotic and controlled, a dance of intuition and intention. Up close, you can see how Mitchell builds up the surface with layers of paint, thick strokes of green, white, and blue crashing into each other. It's as if she's trying to capture the feeling of nature, rather than a literal representation. I love the way she lets the paint drip and bleed, embracing the physicality of the medium. There’s a real sense of energy in her brushwork; it almost feels like you can see the movement of her hand as she created the painting. Notice that cluster of dark green in the lower center; it acts as an anchor, grounding the composition while the rest of the painting seems to float and expand outwards. Mitchell's work always reminds me a little of de Kooning; that same willingness to embrace messiness and ambiguity. Ultimately, "Hemlock" is a reminder that painting is as much about feeling as it is about seeing, a way of engaging with the world on a deeply personal level.