Polymer on canvas, 64 in. x 64 in. Crocker Art Museum, gift from the collection of Burnett and Mimi Miller
This painting titled “I Remember My Equestrian Life” by Roy De Forest hangs in the contemporary gallery of the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, CA. I’ve walked past it dozens of times without even a glance, but the other day it caught my eye. I stood in silence, absorbing the colors, the images, the feeling.
Take a few moments or minutes to see what is happening here.
What do you see?
How does it make you feel looking at it?
Artist Background
De Forest, the son of migrant farmworkers, grew up on the plains in Nebraska before moving to Yakima, Washington. It was there that he discovered his love of art. In describing his art, he said: “rather than, say, taking an image and then finding a way to express it in paint, sometimes I think about how to use a paint and then find an image that fits it.”[
Does knowing this about the painter change your perception of what you see?
What do you see now?
Do you feel any differently?
If you’re bold, share your comments below. I’d love to hear them.
Want to see more? Check out on “What do You See” for more.
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