The Shoppers 1907

William James Glackens made this painting, "The Shoppers," with oil on canvas, and the way he layers those strokes, it's all about the process, the doing of the painting. Not so much about a perfect picture, but more about the feel of a moment. Look at the surface – it’s alive with these visible brushstrokes. The paint isn’t trying to hide; it's right there, thick in some spots, almost transparent in others. It’s like Glackens is letting us in on his secret, showing us how he builds up the scene, bit by bit. Check out the woman in brown's hat; see how the feather is just a few flicks of the brush? But it totally works. It reminds me a bit of Manet, that same interest in modern life and a real looseness with the paint. Both of them show you that art isn't about perfection, it's about expression. And that's what makes it fun, right?