Nassau #5 1967

Ralston Crawford painted Nassau #5 using clean lines and cool, nautical blues. I wonder what the process was like, the back and forth between conception and execution? I feel for Ralston Crawford as he tries to balance observation and abstraction to capture the essence of the scene. Did he layer the paint thinly or did he like to build it up in places? And then look at the anchor—this solid, dark form against the lighter blues, immediately grounding the composition. It’s a powerful gesture, placing that anchor just so. And then, those lines extending into the scene like a stage set... You know, Crawford's work reminds me a little of Stuart Davis, in the way he simplifies architectural forms. Painters are always chatting with each other across time like this, you know. Each one leaves a little message for the next. It’s this ongoing, crazy conversation that keeps evolving, and that we get to listen in on.