Bermuda Sky and Sea with Boats c. 1917

Charles Demuth, around the early 20th century, painted "Bermuda Sky and Sea with Boats" using watercolors. The painting is all soft edges and blended colors – mostly blues and pinks. I wonder what it was like for him to be there, brush in hand, capturing the light. It's all so light, that pink could be the end of the day, or maybe the sun starting up again. See how the boats are almost swallowed by the vastness? I feel like I am floating, like the world is expanding. Demuth was part of a group of artists playing with modernism, trying to push painting, but in his own quiet way. You can see the influence of artists like John Marin, who were all trying to capture something new about America. I really feel the way the watercolor bleeds is just right – a soft, blurry, beautiful scene. It reminds me that painting isn't just about what you see, but how it makes you feel.