Iris at Sea 1994

Jamie Wyeth gave us "Iris at Sea", painted with an expressiveness that feels like it’s still in process, still becoming. Look closely, and you’ll notice how Wyeth handles the paint. It’s not just about representing a lighthouse and some irises; it’s about the physicality of paint itself. The lighthouse is built up with thick, tactile strokes, almost like plaster, contrasting with the smoother sky. The irises have a delicate, almost translucent quality, achieved through thinner washes of colour. There’s a gestural energy, especially in the way the irises reach out, almost touching us. It's like Wyeth is saying, “Here, look at this world, this fleeting moment.” The brushstrokes around the lighthouse capture the weathered texture. That small mark there, almost like a scar, suggests the relentless pounding of the sea. Wyeth’s art always seems to be in conversation with his father, Andrew, but also with artists like Fairfield Porter, who found beauty in the everyday. It’s a reminder that art doesn’t need to be about grand pronouncements; it can be about the quiet, persistent beauty of the world around us.