Palo Alto Circle 1943

Richard Diebenkorn made this oil on canvas, Palo Alto Circle, probably in the early 1960s. Diebenkorn’s work is all about process, and here he's laying down these soft, muted colours like he’s building a wall, brick by brick. Look at how the paint's surface almost feels dry, like he’s scrubbing the colours onto the canvas. It’s not about hiding the brushstrokes but letting them sit right there, making the painting feel super present. There’s a tension between the flat, almost abstract shapes and the way they build up into this recognisable scene. I'm drawn to how he renders the light hitting the building, with each window framed by these chunky highlights. Diebenkorn was always in conversation with artists like Matisse, and you can see that interest in colour and composition here. He’s not just painting a place, but he's also thinking about how we see, how we build up an image from light, shadow, and colour. It's a reminder that art is always a conversation, a way of seeing the world anew.