Vine Wood 1913

Agnes Lawrence Pelton painted 'Vine Wood' with oil, and what hits me first is the almost monochromatic use of green. It’s a world seen through a green lens, where even the light seems filtered. Looking closer, you see how Pelton builds this world with layers of thin paint, almost like glazing. It feels like she's conjuring a dream rather than depicting a place. Notice the figure standing in the foreground, her dress almost dissolving into the surrounding foliage. There's a real sense of fluidity, of boundaries blurring. It's as if she’s part of the environment itself, not separate from it. The monkeys clambering overhead add a sense of playful unease to the scene; a reminder that this isn't just a peaceful idyll. Pelton's work often explored spiritual themes, and you see that here. In a way, she reminds me of Hilma af Klint, another artist who sought to capture unseen realms through abstraction. Both embrace ambiguity, inviting us to ponder what lies beyond the surface.