Inspired more by a failed romantic relationship than by the Dion & The Belmonts tune that shares the same title, Runaround Sue channels emotional devastation through layered color and expressive surface work. Created with a nod to the painting techniques of German painter Gerhard Richter, the composition was created using only a shower squeegee for paint application. It builds through veils, scrapes, and vertical pulls that suggest both motion and erasure.

Warm ochres, rusts, and yellows dominate the field, punctuated by unexpected passages of turquoise that cut through the surface like interruptions—moments of clarity or disruption within an otherwise grounded palette. The vertical striations act as both structure and unraveling, guiding the eye while reinforcing a sense of emotional release.

Beneath the more immediate gestures lies a dense network of marks and textures—the “quiet conversation”—where fragments of poor decisions remain visible, contributing to the painting’s sense of history and revision. This interplay between control and spontaneity mirrors the push and pull of the deception in the relationship that inspired it.

Balancing raw energy with compositional restraint, Runaround Sue becomes less about narrative and more about the residue of regret—the emotional imprint left behind when things fall apart.

• 36x36x1.5 in.
• Acrylic paint on canvas