In The Study 2013

Rose Freymuth-Frazier made this painting, In The Study, by building up delicate layers of oil paint. It's a process of adding, then maybe taking away, until the artist finds what they were looking for, or maybe something they didn't even know was there. Look at the way the light catches the figure's skin. It's almost pearlescent, with subtle gradations of tone that feel both real and otherworldly. And then there’s that black cat, perched so perfectly behind her, its fur a deep, velvety contrast to the softness of her hair. It's fascinating to consider how this kind of painting carries echoes of the Old Masters, but with a distinctly modern sensibility. You could look at someone like Titian, who knew a thing or two about painting flesh, and see a similar kind of attention to light and texture. But Rose is doing something else here, something that feels very much of our time. Art, like a good conversation, keeps evolving, taking unexpected turns, and always finding new ways to surprise us.