De Keignaertkreek in Zandvoorde 1933

Léon Spilliaert created this watercolour called "De Keignaertkreek in Zandvoorde." I can imagine Spilliaert outdoors, sketching the layout of the scene, then indoors, where the studio protects him from the cold. He dips his brush in water and begins to lay down the diluted brown and pink washes, building up the sky and the trees in layers, adding darker hues to the bridge in the foreground. Look how the texture of the paper creates a sense of atmosphere, like mist or fog. The overall feeling is quiet and contemplative, a little melancholic. I imagine Spilliaert returning to this scene many times, each time trying to capture something elusive about the light or the mood of the place. The process of painting becomes a way of understanding and connecting with the world, a conversation between the artist and the landscape. We all borrow from one another, and in the act of creation, we are in conversation with those who came before us, working through our own questions and concerns.