Brittany. Camaret. 1927

Zinaida Serebriakova captured this view of Brittany, France with watercolor on paper. I can imagine her there with her easel; the light is soft and hazy, and the rocks are lit in such a way that there's a kind of glow about them. It’s a humble scene, nothing too dramatic, and it’s so clearly a scene that was painted in motion. I bet she was chasing the light, trying to capture a fleeting moment. It reminds me of some of the plein air painting I've done. There’s a sense of being present, of really seeing and trying to grab hold of a moment. Notice how the brushstrokes aren’t fussy; they’re economical. The painting is built up of layers of transparent color, one laid over the other, allowing the paper to breathe. Painters are always looking at other painters, and I wonder if she was thinking of the Impressionists, their quick strokes and interest in light. It’s all one big conversation, isn't it?