Whiting 2004

Rose Freymuth-Frazier made this painting, Whiting, using oil paint, and it feels like a really personal take on the still life genre. I find myself drawn to the textures, the way the dark umber ground glows, how the silvery scales shimmer on the surface of the fish. The artist clearly enjoys the viscosity of the oil, letting the brushstrokes blend and merge, while also retaining their individual character. The mouth is particularly compelling – that tiny splash of red against the silver, suggesting both life and, well, not life. This piece reminds me of Corot, not just in its dark tonality, but in its quiet contemplation of the natural world. Both artists seem to embrace the messiness of paint, valuing the intuitive process of art-making over any fixed idea or perfect image. And that's what makes it so affecting: its willingness to let things be, to embrace the uncertainty and fluidity of existence.