11: Out of the Darkened House
Notes on spring, new work, and affinities in art and life
Dear Friends,
Spring has arrived, and its quiet beauty is suddenly everywhere in New York. Living near the Botanic Garden is one of life’s greatest joys—to be able to treat it like a backyard, wandering through with my son on any given day, in the quiet and the cold and the wet (which, frankly, has described most of the past few weeks).
Lately, I’ve been thinking about Early Spring by Rilke, and about a new series of paintings inspired by this cold, damp season—so hushed, yet seething with new life. I keep returning to the line about the soul climbing out of the darkened house of the body. It perfectly captures how this season feels to me: color and light slowly rising from the dark, wet soil. I have something percolating—about earth and digging, and a new body of work that’s taking shape. More to come soon.
Early Spring
Rainer Maria Rilke (Translated by Edward Snow)
Harshness gone. A clarity opens.
Touched by the breath of spring, the inner parts of the trees
are filled with sweetness,
and a bright green permeates the tender web of branches.
The lime tree, above, stretches its young leaves
so that their edges draw nearest the darkness
and drink the blue in.
The walks shine in the sun.
A mild blue trembles among the branches.
With eyes that are open wide
my soul climbs out of the darkened house of the body.
Affinities: Anni Albers, Josef Albers, Paul Klee
Last week I saw Affinities at David Zwirner—Anni Albers, Josef Albers, and Paul Klee all in one show. It was almost overwhelming to see three of my favorite artists in the same space. I’ve spent years collecting books about the Alberses and their creative lives—their deep commitment to process, to one another, and to a shared vision of making and living. I'm drawn to stories of creative couples—maybe because that's what Jason and I are building together. I think often about the life we’re making: our family, our home, the work we do.
What stayed with me most was the extraordinary number of Homage to the Square paintings by Josef Albers. I relate deeply to the project: the reverence for the square (my favorite shape, as I tell my son when we look at shapes together), the radical restraint, the color exploration, the serial nature of it. It feels like a life's work. I especially loved seeing the paper studies—the notes scribbled in the margins, the slightly wobbly lines, the edges less defined. They feel less precious, more human. I'm more and more drawn to that quality lately.
Klee’s watercolors also continue to resonate—especially how he uses such a fluid medium to explore geometry. His most abstract works always remind me of cities, of houses, of some imagined urban grid. His layering is delicate but never muddy—there’s a brightness and clarity even in his most complex compositions.
And Anni Albers—her work is mind-bending. Because I don’t weave, I’m even more in awe of the intricacy and exactness of her designs. They’re infinitely varied, rigorous, and endlessly absorbing. I could stare at one of her tapestries for hours.
On My Wall
I’ve been playing around with oil pastels and color. I’ve been especially taken with some iridescent oil sticks—they catch the raking light from the window and shimmer throughout the day. I like watching the colors shift as the light moves.
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the meeting of two colors.
I just finished my largest painting in years—something I hope to share with you very soon. While my thoughts are still settling around that piece, I’ve been enjoying making smaller, quicker paintings—a way to keep playing, to let ideas stir without pressure.
I have some announcements I’m excited to share in the coming weeks. In the meantime, I invite you to explore my list of available works on my website.
As always, thank you for your interest in my creative practice. I’d love to hear from you—comments, questions, thoughts are always welcome.
Wishing you a wonderful week ahead.
xx,
Letícia
So much inspiration packed in one letter, L! Thank you! As a fellow Albers admirer, I can relate to your connection to both of their bodies of work — individually and as a couple. Cannot wait to hear more about your most recent explorations. How exciting! Thank you for sharing 💕