Seascape with a White Bird 

Allin Braund created this oil on board painting, entitled "Seascape with a White Bird," sometime in the 20th century. Braund deployed his medium in such a way that the board's flat surface is barely apparent. Instead, the artist conjures a layered vista using a range of brushstrokes. The artist seems to have been particularly interested in the sky, depicting dramatic cloud formations with thick impasto and subtle blending. This contrasts with the thinner layers of paint used for the sea and beach, creating a sense of depth and distance. The application of oil paint allows for a richness of color and texture that captures the interplay of light and atmosphere in a coastal landscape. The visible brushwork also gives the painting an energetic quality, fitting the wildness of nature. The decision to depict a seemingly untouched seascape speaks to a longing for a life divorced from the industrial world. While Braund uses industrial materials and processes, his focus is on the natural world, which is an important part of painting's complex story.