Fields of Bluebonnets 1920

Robert Julian Onderdonk made *Fields of Bluebonnets* with paint, and you can really see his mark-making process. Up close, the canvas is a bumpy field of brushstrokes, little daubs of color all snuggling up to each other. Look at how the bluebonnets themselves are built from these tiny touches of blue, purple, and even white. It’s like he's showing us how a field of flowers isn't just one flat thing, but a million tiny events all happening at once. And what I love is how he doesn't try to hide the paint. You can practically feel the texture of it, thick in some spots, thin in others. It's a reminder that painting is a physical thing, a conversation between the artist, the paint, and the canvas. It reminds me a little of Van Gogh, who also wasn't afraid to let his brushstrokes do the talking. Ultimately, Onderdonk invites us to slow down, to look closely, and to appreciate the messy, beautiful process of making art.