Lauren #2 2014

Adam Caldwell’s painting, Lauren #2, appears to have been built up through layers of oil paint, shifting and resolving through the painting process. I can imagine the artist standing in front of the canvas, brush in hand, coaxing the figure from the ground. What might he have been thinking when he laid down those first marks? The thin washes of muted color create a somber mood, but then there is the red glaze that creates a powerful visual effect and perhaps adds an element of drama to the piece. Lauren #2 reminds me of works by other artists who explore the human form with a similar sensitivity and expressive use of paint. Caldwell's willingness to embrace ambiguity and uncertainty makes this an interesting, thought-provoking painting. He has taken cues from those who came before him and added his own personal and embodied expression.