Dramatic lighting spotlights this surreal scene, leading the viewer into a space of disorienting quietness. The meditative free-hand process of painting squares, complemented by the soft glazing of shadows and highlights, creates a composition that balances a baroque aesthetic with that of the digital realm. From afar, one may think it resembles an artificially-generated image, however, up close it takes on the character of a still-life; thick oil paint and layered brushstrokes bring an unexpected tactility to the warped fabric. The staged checkered fabric, painted from life, remained draped over a chair for months, highlighting the artist’s patient approach to art-making.

This painting’s title, Opening, is founded on the artist’s part-time work as a chess coach: the opening is a key part of any game, reflecting the preparation that has gone in. Good openings also allow a freedom to experiment and play. These sentiments are mirrored here through extensive planning prior to picking up a brush, the years of trial and error before the artist found confidence in his style, and the joy he now finds when playing with paint. Opening represents the start of Weston’s painting career: the start of something slow, deliberate, yet playful.