Deer in a Snowy Forest 1906

Charles M. Russell, likely in his studio, made this watercolour, "Deer in a Snowy Forest," some time around 1906. Look at that stand of birch trees fading into the mauve distance, then the big buck in front, staring out. I can imagine the artist layering thin washes of blue and white to evoke the soft stillness of a winter afternoon. I wonder what Russell was thinking as he made this? Did he have to concentrate on rendering the animals just so, or did he find a way to loosen his wrist, relax, and really feel the scene? Watercolour requires you to be decisive and sensitive all at once. See how he lets the white of the paper act as the snow itself? And did you notice that he signed his name in the bottom left? It's subtle, like he's inviting us into a secret. Painters are always talking to other painters, after all. What is said is never fixed, only ever a suggestion. The best ones make an invitation to let your mind wander, too.