"Twist and Shout"

Last winter, a friend sent me pictures of ice patterns on her pond. I found this crazy quilt of intersecting lines and shapes irresistible. As soon as I began to paint, I found myself singing the Beatles’ “Twist and Shout”, giving the process a lighthearted feel. Along the way, though, I was reminded of the crack and crash of thick river ice during spring break up, how at first, like sudden thunder, the sound shakes you to the core. Which brought to mind the not so lighthearted din of partisan politics surrounding us these days, getting in the way instead of solving problems.