Saint Hripsime Church. Etchmiadzin 1913

Yeghishe Tadevosyan made this painting of Saint Hripsime Church in Etchmiadzin with oil on canvas, and what strikes me is the ochre tones – they feel baked in the sun. You can almost feel the heat radiating off the stone. I love how the church emerges out of the landscape, like it's a part of the very earth itself. Tadevosyan's brushstrokes are confident, not overworked. I bet he set up his easel right there and captured the light and shadows as they danced across the building. I’m imagining him squinting in the sun, trying to capture the essence of this sacred place. That little patch of blue sky peeking through is so key – it gives the whole painting some air and light, like a breath. It’s a classic painterly move, and I’m here for it. Paintings like this remind me that artists are always in conversation with each other, borrowing and riffing on ideas across time. It's all one big, messy, beautiful exchange of creative energy.