Toni LaSelle’s Identity - Not My Own, is a striking exploration of how identity is formed and expressed through the language of form, colour, and spatial tension. This 1949 oil painting, rich with mid-century abstraction, channels LaSelle’s Bauhaus-influenced precision while remaining deeply personal and intuitive.

The composition is centred around a deep oceanic blue form, laid down in visible, rounded brush strokes, some thick and assertive, others dissolved into translucent washes. These contemplative blues are outlined in subtle, inky contours which evoke mystery and interiority.

In contrast, a warm orange background radiates beneath and around the central forms, homely and sunlit, like terracotta in early evening light. This warmth softens the hard geometry of the shapes, making their angularity feel inviting rather than severe.

Near the top centre of the canvas lies an angular, four-sided form in a rich bottle green. Though rigid in outline, it feels organic and grounded, like something living and familiar. It’s comforting and welcoming, nestled into the field of colour.

Tiny splices of bright white punctuate the painting, balancing the colour masses and offering highlights that give the piece breath. They act as counterweights, maintaining its lightness and energy.

In the bottom right corner, a vermilion kite-shaped figure quietly settles into place. It slots in perfectly, merging slightly with the background yet holding its form – a visual metaphor for something individual yet integrated, possibly reflecting the painting’s title.

Scratchy, fine lines interlace parts of the composition, adding subtle but important tension. These gestural marks introduce structure and disruption, juxtaposing the soft, warm palette. The lines hint that identity isn’t fixed; it is supported by a delicate, sometimes uncertain balance.