Sand Dune c. 1911 - 1955

Sears Gallagher made this etching, Sand Dune, at no specific date. It looks like he’s really using the plate to draw, doesn't it? The etched lines kind of blend into the sandy scene, and the whole thing has this soft, dreamy vibe. I am drawn to how the light kind of skitters across the surface. Gallagher leaves a lot to the imagination. The little girl in the foreground playing in the sand. She’s not super detailed, but you get a sense of her focus, you know? It’s like he wants you to feel the endlessness of the beach. I can almost feel the quiet, like I’m there, too, just watching the waves. It’s a very Whistler-esque, almost as if James McNeill Whistler was wandering on an overcast day in Cape Cod. Both artists seem interested in capturing these fleeting moments of beauty, turning the ordinary into something kind of profound.