Fields and Sky 1931

J.E.H. MacDonald made this oil painting of fields and sky, and it feels like it was made in one, maybe two sittings. Look closely at the sky. The clouds aren't just white, they're this mix of blues and greys, almost like he’s painting the air itself. It's not about precision, it's about the feeling of being in that space, that moment. You can see the energy in the brushstrokes. They’re pretty thick. The way he layers the paint, it gives this real sense of texture, like you could reach out and touch the clouds. And that little patch of pure blue sky peeking through? It’s like a breath of fresh air. There is something of Constable in the painting of the sky, but also something distinctly Canadian. Like, it’s not just a landscape, it’s an experience. And maybe that’s what art is all about – capturing a moment, a feeling, and sharing it with the world.