The paintings of Lisa Yuskavage always come to mind when I think about how a dominant color can unify a composition. They tend toward the monochromatic while always including some counterpoint — another form of color contrast — to keep the work from becoming too simple a statement. Like many great painters, she also walks the line between detail and suggestion. These paintings would not be nearly as powerful if every inch were in crisp focus. Part of their strength lies in what is withheld: the soft edges, the suggested forms, the dance between the known and the unknown.
