Pumpkin leaves drooping 1926

Grace Cossington Smith made "Pumpkin Leaves Drooping" with oil paint, in a way that celebrates the simple act of looking and painting. It's a mosaic of greens and yellows, built up through deliberate, small strokes. You can really see the hand of the artist in each mark. The texture! Up close, the surface dances with the physicality of each brushstroke. Smith's use of opaque paint gives everything a solid, grounded feeling. The way she builds up these small, deliberate marks reminds me a bit of Impressionism, but with a rawer, more direct touch. Take a look at the centre where a small white flower peeps out, this tiny detail adds a touch of sweetness. The intensity of the greens and blues, and the reductive quality of the shapes she uses, makes me think of Marsden Hartley, another artist who found something powerful and modern in what some might call a naive style. Ultimately, Smith's painting is a conversation between seeing and feeling.