May 15, 1930
Flag is one of Jasper John’s most iconic paintings. I like it because he used encaustic, or hot wax, as his primary medium. I’ve dabbled in encaustic and love it. The warm bees wax also smells heavenly!
Here’s what JasperJohns.org says about False Start:
False Start is an explosive picture; it seems to be blowing itself apart in a pyrotechnic display. Brushstrokes are large; color is riotous; composition is not predetermined by a recognizable image. The picture lacks the calm, dignified repose of Johns’ earlier paintings; it appears nervous, risky, unsure of itself. Most striking, False Start does not seem to use color; it is about color.
Art is much less important than life, but what a poor life without it.
~ Jasper Johns