Chesapeake Bay III c. 2001

Curator: Let's turn our attention to "Chesapeake Bay III," a work made around 2001 by Ross Merrill. It appears to be rendered in colored pencil and possibly watercolor. What are your initial impressions? Editor: There's a strange sense of unease—the vivid yellow feels almost radioactive against the somber blues and grays. It suggests environmental tensions at play. Curator: It's a landscape rendered with remarkable simplicity. Consider the layered horizontal strokes: the cool blues and greens of the water meet the striated grays of the landmass above, all topped by a vibrant yet turbulent sky. It's a study in contrasting color temperatures. Editor: That vibrant yellow, which appears to overlay the gray mass, strikes me as crucial. Given the Chesapeake Bay's history of ecological challenges—pollution, depletion of resources—that sunny color seems to represent a fragile hope, an aspiration against the weight of environmental degradation. It certainly could represent tension. Curator: Perhaps, but formally, the placement of the yellow is critical. Notice how it delineates the edges, creating definition while simultaneously disrupting the solidity of the gray form beneath. It creates depth and tension through pure chromatic relationships. Editor: I find it difficult to divorce this piece from the socio-political realities of its subject. The Chesapeake Bay isn’t just any landscape; it’s a site laden with historical significance, deeply tied to questions of labor, extraction, and ecological responsibility. Does the medium–colored pencil and watercolor–signal to impermanence? Curator: Possibly; or consider it a deliberate choice to emphasize the subtle interplay of light and shadow. The blurred edges and the slightly off-register colors contribute to the dreamlike quality of the piece. Merrill isn't just representing a landscape; he’s capturing a fleeting atmospheric condition. Editor: Fair enough. It’s difficult to disregard art’s role as both a mirror reflecting societal concerns and a prism refracting the possibilities of formal innovation. Thanks for the opportunity to explore how this work operates across those distinct planes. Curator: It has been enlightening to re-evaluate our seeing to how our interpretations and our critical viewing choices impact how the piece ultimately operates.