JOAN MITCHELL AT SFMOMA

Walking through Joan Mitchell at SFMoMA, beginning in the first room of snowy, calligraphic landscapes. Chicago-born Mitchell is living in NY at this time I suspect.

Truly one of the most gorgeous paintings ever, a perfect calligraphic landscape.

An unusual feature in this show is the small landscapes that illuminate moments in larger works.

Suddenl fecundity! Does Mitchell move to Verthueil here, immersed in Monet's landscape?

The peak of inspiration: red such a shock amidst the bucolic sprawl of color.

Then a tawny dispersal of color notes, flung free far afield~

Sketchbook, under glass

Small, chunky flower painting

As if striations in the earth stacked like rocks, forming reefs for the eye to land.

Detail of painting above: a perfect storm of texture and color;

Detail 2, surface weather breaks open, to sky

Detail of above

Then begins, after the reefs, a language of loose calligraphy, more fluid than before. The fluid lines form thickets, and sometimes bubbles of gestural form.

Small painting

Detail of painting above