I love this painting by David Shratter. The design is the essence of simplicity, but close inspection of the craftsmanship in that paint surface reveals layer upon layer of complexity. One really nice touch is the use of broken color in the background. The top half uses a broken blue gray on a magenta ground, while the bottom uses a broken neutrals on a blue green background.

The piece is in the permanent collection at the Tacoma Art Museum and is currently on display as part of the The Still-Life Tradition in the Northwest exhibition
March 1−June 7, 2015

Duet V, David Shratter, 2002

Detail of Duet V by David Shratter