Sandpipers

A soft yellow-beige glow and hints of poppy pink radiate warmth in Judith Skillman's Sandpipers. In contrast to this atmospheric light are the gray shades of the water, with the combination of the paint texture and negative space serving to create a sense of movement in the scene. While the choppy waves draw the eye around the composition, the true focus of the painting is the grouping of sandpipers in the lower right quadrant. Neatly arranged in two pairs they all appear still with their bills dug into the sand in search of their next meal. Perhaps this is so because of the timing of the receding wave, or is the water above them about to disturb their punctilious probing in a matter of seconds? Either way, this immediately calls to mind the way they scuttle off at double-speed when necessary.

As the viewer, I enjoyed learning that the first version of the painting had more than the four birds now pictured. This behind-the-scenes tidbit gives us a new insight into the work and its evolution as well as an insider glimpse into the artist's process that we would not have known otherwise. It's also interesting to imagine where were the birds that have since disappeared...

This painting is like a memory, hazy at the edges but preserving the most important details in one's mind.