Courtyard, 2012 - 16

In these gouache and watercolor paintings, John Greer refines his observations of the changing light and seasons, welcoming in vibrant and naturalistic color. The warm sun streams through green foliage and winding branches onto brick red walls that frame grids of windows, each replying with its own view of the city and sky.

After the more somber interiors of the Night and Day at Home series (2009 - 10), which conveyed a feeling of inner-directed isolation, Greer has looked out the window and found more openness, both in terms of space and feeling. Yet, while he is depicting his own neighborhood, the human figure remains latent, perhaps hiding behind the many shimmering yet opaque windows.

As in much of his recent work, Greer displays an instinct to flatten and geometrize his brushwork. In these paintings, moody, atmospheric depths coexist with grids and blocks of color that push up against the painted surface. Courtyard again takes the form of modest series that explore the same composition or scene, another nod to modernist strategy.