Child in Orange

Orange does a lot of the talking in this painting.

The figure of a child emerges through bold, expressive strokes using vibrant orange gives the piece a warmth and energy that feels almost impossible to contain. The simplified, abstracted approach keeps the image open-ended, allowing the figure to feel less like a specific portrait and more like a glimpse of childhood itself.

There is something wonderfully direct about the way children experience the world. Everything can be exciting. Everything can be important. A thought can become an adventure in about three seconds. I wanted some of that uninhibited energy to live in this painting.

The mostly orange palette gives the figure warmth, but the brushwork keeps it lively rather than sweet. Lines and shapes push and pull against one another, creating a sense of movement and personality within an otherwise simple composition.

A little burst of childhood simplicity painted mostly in orange.