Before Bedtime Stories 2020

Cornelius Annor made this painting, “Before Bedtime Stories,” with an approach to color and form that feels honest and unfiltered. It's like he’s sharing a slice of his life, straight from the heart. The painting's surface has this wonderfully matte quality, and the colors, they're not trying to be realistic. Look at the blue of the child's shirt, it's laid on flat with an uncomplicated simplicity. Annor's not trying to trick us with fancy techniques. It’s about capturing the essence of the moment: a grandmother reading to her grandchild, their shared laughter filling the room. See the pattern of the grandmother's skirt, those repeated motifs feel deeply personal, like a treasured textile. Annor reminds me a little of Fairfield Porter in his dedication to the everyday. Like Porter, Annor shows us the beauty in the ordinary and invites us to consider the value of these shared moments. It leaves us with more questions than answers, and that's kind of the point.