Loves Creek, MacDonnell Ranges 1948

Albert Namatjira made this watercolour painting, Loves Creek, MacDonnell Ranges, with a light touch and a sharp eye. The way he layers washes of colour, it’s like he’s coaxing the landscape into being. Look at that big rock face on the right! He’s built it up with these horizontal strokes, almost like geological strata. You can almost feel the grit and the weight of the rock. And then, see how he uses the same kind of strokes, but in these soft, muted purples, to suggest the distant hills? It's like a call and response. Namatjira’s handling of watercolour reminds me of John Singer Sargent, actually, in the way he captures the light and atmosphere with such economy. But, there’s also something uniquely his own here – a deep connection to the land, a way of seeing that feels both intimate and expansive. It’s a reminder that art is always a conversation.