On the LES: Coffey, Greenbaum, Wong

Susanna Coffey, In Her Studio at Stephen Harvey Fine Art Projects (now closed). A simply delicious painting fiesta celebrating artists in their studios, from a master painter. I use the word in all its implications.  Gallery Link

The artist in her studio

In addition to painting others, Coffey also paints herself working amidst enlarged projections of favorite paintings. Here, the conflagration of marks, creamy, colorful paint and imagery enfold the solitary painter in a vivid, almost tropical world.

Joanne Greenbaum at Rachel Uffner, working in glass in the gallery's front room. These exuberant explorations continue her improvisational working process and love of color and material. Gallery Link

Joanne Greenbaum painting from the aptly titled, joyous "I'm Doing My Face in Magic Marker," up through January 12, 2020.

At Karma, Matthew Wong's Blue, in both galleries: gouaches and watercolors in one space, paintings in the other.
Gallery Link

The shows are extended. Roberta Smith's tribute in the New York Times describes Wong's work and artistic rise: New York Times Link 

When we met in Shanghai in 2014, Matthew was working in ink.

In his visit to my studio, preceding his first solo exhibition in Shenzhen late that summer,  we discussed ink painting, swapping references and comparing notes. n the next five years, his work blossomed, and from my perspective, for the fusion of autonomous mark and surface, layering two traditions of painting.