Mist Over Point Lobos 1918

Rose O’Neill captured this coastal view with oil on canvas, and you can almost feel the ocean mist just by looking at it. The blues are so deep and dreamy, like staring into a vast, watery unknown. I imagine O’Neill, brush in hand, trying to capture the way the light hits those rocks, turning them into these soft, glowing forms. It's not just about painting what's there, but also what it feels like to be there. The thick daubs of white and pink make the rocks look so tactile, while the thinner, more fluid blues evoke the constant movement of the sea. Look at how she applies the paint. See the rhythm? Painting is all about trying things, messing up, and then finding something new in the mess. Each brushstroke is a decision, a feeling, a tiny act of translation. O'Neill is in conversation with artists like Monet, and other impressionist painters. This piece feels like a reminder that painting is an ongoing experiment, a way of seeing and feeling the world that's always open to change.