QUAD (897) 1997

Creighton Michael made this drawing called QUAD, and it's all about lines doing their thing on a rectangular surface. The black lines form sharp angles and gentle curves, floating over a pale, off-white ground. Some lines are bold and confident, others are scratchy and hesitant, like the artist was thinking out loud. I wonder if he started with one shape and let it lead to the next, kind of like a conversation. You can see the push and pull, the back and forth. It reminds me of Cy Twombly’s playful approach to line and form, but with a quieter, more internal feel. Gestural marks create a visual dance across the surface, inviting us to participate in the act of seeing and thinking. It’s a reminder that painting is never finished; it’s always in process, always becoming.