amazing grace

Something amazing happened last week. A man compared my work to Mark Rothko's. Considering the fact that I think of that artist as "Saint Rothko" this was truly amazing praise. Obviously as an abstract colorist I worship at the feet of several artist gods: Whistler, Redon, Monet, Turner, Gauguin and Degas. I owe homage to Klee and Gorky and Chagall as well as Milton Avery. Each artist has other artists whose work transcends earthly bounds. We may not take direct inspiration from them but their uniqueness haunts the recesses of our minds. So to have someone say that anything I created reminded him of Rothko's profound work was not only an astonishing compliment but a reason for me to remind myself that simplicity and reduction are often the path to successful pieces. Less is more for sure and nobody practiced that better than St. Rothko when exploring the vibrant subtleties of pure color. Amazing grace indeed.