Presence — Mixed Media on Paper, 13 × 11 inches -Sold

Pieces like Presence always remind me how effortlessly my dad can suggest a figure without ever fully defining one. He doesn’t over-explain or tighten things down; he gives just enough gesture, just enough structure, and lets the viewer feel the rest.

What pulls me in here is the balance between the bold blocks of color and the loose, searching line work. There’s a sense of someone standing right at the edge of a moment — aware, grounded, and undeniably there — even though the figure is rendered with only a handful of marks.

As I go through the archives, paintings like this continue to surprise me. They show how much expression he can pull from restraint, and how presence isn’t always about detail — sometimes it’s about intention.

— Todd