Barra 1902

Samuel Peploe made this painting of Barra with oil on canvas, and right away you notice how he’s embracing the act of artmaking as a process. The texture is built up with these visible brushstrokes, like little slabs of paint applied with confidence. Look closely at the waves - you can practically feel the chill of the sea air! I love how he's used a limited palette of blues and whites, with just a few touches of pink, to evoke the light and atmosphere of the Scottish coast. It's like he's captured a fleeting moment in time, the way the light dances on the water. It reminds me of some of the early Impressionists like Monet, but with a distinctly Scottish sensibility. There’s no fixed meaning, just an open invitation to experience the scene for yourself.