Paysage avec cyprès et oliviers aux environs de Nice c. 1918

Henri Matisse made this painting of the landscape around Nice using oil on canvas. The trees are looming, big and dark, and it feels like he's really trying to work out how to make them. I wonder what he was thinking as he built up those layers of green and black—the dark and light together giving a sense of volume. You can almost feel the sun in the South of France and see him working in the landscape, squinting as he tries to work out the best way to capture it. The paint isn’t too thick, but it's definitely present, with a visible texture that gives life to the scene. I'm drawn to the little patch of green on the grass: it's so solid, it feels like a really deliberate mark. Matisse is always playing with ways of seeing, and he's someone who really inspires my own painting. It reminds me to just trust the process, and keep at it, day after day.