Swithering

A painting made by negation. Things more painted out than in. A
painting made out of doubt and indecision. It sat in its current state
for a year at least, before I decided it was finished. That it
couldn’t be any other way. It felt like one of those paintings found
on the easel of a dead painter, the last one they were working on.

Picasso berated Bonnard for his inability to make his mind up; he was
“a Pot-pourri of indecision.” He seemed to forgive Cezanne for his
doubt. I see it as a useful thing mostly. Ambivalence and ambiguity
can be your friend. The dog is leaving the painting, the ship just
entering sailing past the shape of an island, possibly the Bass rock.
Is it?

A scuffed mark on the concrete, a spillage of some sort, or worn away
paint. The ironwork of the balcony painted many times, gaining a
hesitancy, less solidity. I thought of the cartoon style of Rhubarb
and Custard. And of course Matisse, those Nice paintings.