Hornet's Nest by James Edward Scherbarth

A glowing amber oval hangs in a dark red field, covered in tiny cells.

Hornet's Nest is an oil and cold wax on paper by James Edward Scherbarth (1949-2021), signed, titled and dated 2019 en verso. Abstract painters often borrow their titles from nature, letting a single shape carry a whole association. A blurred, oval form in orange and ochre floats at the center, its surface textured with a fine scaled pattern. The surrounding deep red has a canvas-like crosshatch, and the paint stops short of a wide white border. It is 9 inches wide and 12 high.

Best admired from exactly this distance.