Jackie Ellens' Black, Grey, And Gold II

A composed study in restraint, this square canvas work by John Richard moves through a quieted palette of black, grey, and gold with the assurance of something that has always belonged on the wall. The antiqued finish lends the surface a cultivated depth, as though the piece has accrued meaning over time rather than simply arrived. At twenty-five inches square, it occupies its plane with exactly the right authority — substantial without demanding, present without imposing.