Quarter To Two

In "Quarter to Two," Lionel Thomas delivers a frenetic and surreal narrative through a visual jazz of angular forms, erratic movement, and bold contrasts. The painting tells the story of a saxophonist lost in a late-night rehearsal, teetering on the edge of domestic chaos. The setting is an odd dreamscape where reality warps under the tension of sound and sleep deprivation. The central figures—both the musician and his furious wife—are exaggerated, bordering on caricature, evoking a kind of playful absurdity. The saxophone, with its glowing orange hue and almost serpentine curves, dominates the canvas, mirroring the protagonist's obsessive connection to his music. It’s as though the instrument has a life of its own, growing and warping in defiance of his surroundings, much to the frustration of his sleepwalking partner. Her figure, caught between reality and delirium, threatening to eject both the man and his beloved sax from the scene. Thomas’s signature use of loose line work and b