The Artist's Wife Knitting 1920

William James Glackens made "The Artist's Wife Knitting" with oil on canvas, and what I find fascinating about this is the way he seems to make marks that scumble and cross over one another in a light, warm palette. I love thinking about what it must have been like for Glackens to paint his wife Helen in this domestic scene. She’s there knitting, maybe thinking, maybe not. Her concentration is both present and also slightly aloof, as if she's retreated into her own thoughts. The short, broken brushstrokes seem to build up a sense of atmosphere, as if the air itself is shimmering with color. Glackens reminds me of other painters of the period who were thinking through how to capture modern life, like Bonnard or Vuillard. These painters inspire me so much. It's like they're saying: keep painting, keep exploring, and let the process itself guide you.