Untitled 1969

This untitled painting is by Joan Mitchell. It's a large canvas covered in bright, gestural marks of orange, yellow, and blue. I imagine Mitchell, brush in hand, circling the canvas, building up layers, wiping away, and adding more. You can feel the energy in that big, bold stroke of blue on the upper-left, like a sweeping wave crashing down. It’s like she's pushing and pulling, trying to capture something fleeting, something felt. The paint isn't overly thick. It’s fluid, allowing drips and runs that add to the sense of movement. It's almost like she is talking to other painters, especially the abstract expressionists. She probably felt what they felt, the need to get something out, to put feeling into form. Mitchell knew that painting isn't about answers. It’s about the questions, the searching, and the willingness to embrace the unknown.