Laura Owens in reproduction, seems a master of the cute, reductionist landscapes in pinks, greys, greens and blues are intimate and new, and her pictures of monkeys and flowers have the soft pastels and rich creams of bonnard and other french post impressionists. They also have the economy of line that we find in japanese 19th century prints (the french painters of this time would buy imported prints by ream in port markets.) This colour sense, lines, etc. would be enough to recommend her, but their are a couple of other things.

She comes from ohio and lives in LA, and the exoticism of palm trees, lemon trees in the back yard, the sun always shining, not the hollywood dreams but the tropical heat infuse her work with joy. Living through winter, you thank God for the sun/

The other thing, is that if you note the size-they are gigantic, between 3 and 4 meters. The economy, the grace, the consistency-is it easier or more difficult to control in a ten foot or a one foot peice ? Is she grandstanding ?