The Coming Storm 1901

Winslow Homer made this watercolour painting of a seascape, probably around 1900. The blues and greys wash across the paper in loose, transparent strokes, capturing the drama of a threatening storm. I imagine Winslow Homer standing on the shore, squinting into the wind, trying to capture the feeling of the impending storm. What’s great about watercolor is how fugitive it can be – it runs and bleeds, impossible to control. Homer lets the paint do its thing, the stormy sky a flurry of dark washes. The brushstrokes are like gusts of wind. There is one dark stroke hanging in the middle of the composition – the paint seems to be dripping down the surface of the page. I wonder if this was intentional, or if the artist chose to leave it, embracing accident as part of the artistic process. Looking at the image, it makes me want to try to capture a storm on paper, to get that feeling of being on the verge of something big. It reminds me how all artists are connected, building on each other's work, inspiring each other across time. Each brushstroke holds both intention and chance, inviting us into a space where meaning is always unfolding.