Dieppe 1924

James McBey made this watercolor, Dieppe, on paper, date unknown. There's something deeply satisfying about seeing how an artist like McBey allows the watercolor to pool and settle, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere with such a limited palette. The muted browns and grays evoke a specific mood. Look at the way the wash creates the cloudy sky, and then shifts to give weight to the cliff face to the right. I love the little pops of darker color that define the figures heading into town. The strokes are quick, confident, and minimal. The artist trusts the medium. Think of someone like John Singer Sargent, whose watercolors share a similar bravura and spontaneity. Both artists remind us that sometimes less really is more. They show us that a painting can be a process of discovery, a conversation between the artist, the medium, and the world.