Reimagining Color

Georges Seurat changed the way people thought about color in the 1880s. But innovations in how color can be used didn’t stop when Seurat died. In fact, today’s artists are finding new ways to play with color all the time. The three contemporary painters featured here challenge tradition, making stunning images that invite viewers to think about why color is so important.

In the 1880s, Georges Seurat inspired people to think about color differently. Today, artists continue to experiment with new ways of using color. The three contemporary painters on this page challenge traditional ideas about color. Their stunning paintings cause viewers to think about why color is so important.

For Brooklyn-based artist Shara (SHAH-ruh) Hughes, intuition is an important part of her working process. “I’m really trying actively to surprise myself every time I make a new painting,” she explains.

In her 2018 painting Jagged Little Hills, above, Hughes works with an unusual variety of color palettes on display side-by-side. She uses primary colors red, yellow, and blue to paint the surface of a river. The artist adds earth tones, including brown, yellow, and orange, to paint the cliffs surrounding the river. Hughes also leaves some areas of the canvas unpainted.

Hughes juxtaposes the flat colors on the river’s surface with modeled areas, making the cliffs look three-dimensional. This helps define the space within the scene. Through unexpected uses of color, Hughes transforms what easily could have been a typical painting of a river into a dramatic alien landscape.

Shara (SHAHruh) Hughes is an artist based in Brooklyn, New York. When she paints, she trusts her gut instead of carefully planning each step. “I’m really trying actively to surprise myself every time I make a new painting,” she explains.

Hughes painted Jagged Little Hills, above, in 2018. She uses an unusual combination of color palettes next to one another. To paint a river, she uses the primary colors red, yellow, and blue. The artist includes earth tones, like brown, yellow, and orange, to paint cliffs. Notice how Hughes also leaves some parts of the work unpainted.

Hughes uses flat colors on the river’s surface. But she paints the cliffs above the river to look three-dimensional. This helps give the scene a sense of space. Hughes uses colors the viewer doesn’t expect. Instead of making a usual painting of a river, she creates an exciting, strange world.

“Color is everything,” says Jordan Casteel. The New York City-based artist started out making sketches from photographs of her family and friends when she was in high school. Today she paints vibrant portraits showing ordinary moments. Casteel’s 2018 Rose-Colored Glasses, above, is from a series of works featuring people the artist sees on the subway during her own commutes. “She got my attention with her floral shirt,” Casteel says of the woman in Rose-Colored Glasses. “I remember seeing her and thinking, ‘Oh, she looks like a painting!’ ”

Casteel uses complementary colors to paint the woman’s shirt and her surroundings. The red flowers seem to vibrate against the green fabric. The background, a blur of pinks and grays, almost disappears compared with the rich, dense colors in the foreground.

“I consider myself a painter in the most technical way,” Casteel explains. Although she’s focused on her technique, she’s also fascinated by how her representation of people can help viewers see them in a new way. She aims to tell “stories of people who are often unseen.”

“Color is everything,” says Jordan Casteel, an artist from New York City. When she was in high school, she observed family photos and then made sketches of them. Today she paints colorful portraits showing ordinary everyday moments. Casteel’s 2018 Rose-Colored Glasses, above, is part of a series of artworks. The works feature people the artist sees on the subway. The woman in the work interested the artist when she saw her on the train. “She got my attention with her floral shirt,” Casteel says. “I remember seeing her and thinking, ‘Oh, she looks like a painting!’”

Casteel uses complementary colors to paint the scene. The red flowers stand out against the green fabric. The background is a blurry sight of pinks and grays. They aren’t as noticeable as the bright colors in the foreground. Casteel focuses on her skills and her subjects when she paints. She hopes her portraits encourage viewers to see people in new ways.

How many characters do you see in the painting below? According to the artist, Tala Madani (TAH-luh mah-DAH-nee), there are three. She considers color a character. “It’s very much a presence,” she explains. Born in Tehran, Iran, and living in Los Angeles today, Madani uses color to create a dreamy effect in the 2018 work Disco Wind.

Madani begins with a blue color field background. She adds splotches of green and pink, which are complements of each other, creating balance. Madani chooses not to add any sense of perspective, so the background becomes a flat abstraction.

Madani creates a narrative, blurring the figure on the right and creating the illusion of a visible wind. “For me, the painting as a square or rectangle always feels like a theatrical space,” she says. “When I’m working, it feels like the painting is performing.” How does Madani use color as a character to create a performance?

How many characters can you spot in the painting below? The artist, Tala Madani (TAH-luh mah-DAH-nee), says there are three. She considers color a character. “It’s very much a presence,” she explains. Madani was born in Tehran, Iran, and lives in Los Angeles today. She uses color to create her dreamy 2018 work Disco Wind.

Madani begins with a blue background. She adds splotches of the complementary colors green and pink. This creates balance. She blurs the figure on the right. This gives the appearance of an invisible wind blowing through the scene. The artist explains that a canvas is like a stage to her. “When I’m working, it feels like the painting is performing,” she says. How does Madini make color a character in her artwork?