This Painting Surprised Me! After viewing so many recent hard edged paintings, the soft cotton candy cherry blossoms are astonishing. It is true that Alex has always maintained a painterly approach. His earlier paintings revel in color, and he still uses color notes to prelude his larger more mapped out work. But here, zen and Rothko- like, this picture is a poem! I recognized Cherry Blossoms from my observation of two flowering cherry trees that were in my front yard on Long Island. The blossoms were pale pink and fleeting. Even a soft breeze would cause them to flutter and sail gracefully to the ground in large heaps of arc shaped petals- not as fragile as magnolia leaves, but quietly delicate.
Here, tufts of blossoms look similar, but reveal a subtle soft shading like clouds. The dark reed like branches give rhythm, eye movement, with hints of gold winking around as well. And the gradual darkening of the pink suggests grounding, without any sign of a trunk.
Alex has a clear, unfiltered eye that only has expanded in time in a burst of originality and growth. His brush is an extension of this vision and with new paintings such as this, he graciously gifts us great rewards.
