Landscape with Church Tower c. 1915

John Wesley Cotton made this color etching called Landscape with Church Tower, and right away I’m noticing how the inks have a life of their own, like watercolors refusing to be contained. Look at how Cotton lets the blues and yellows softly bleed into one another, conjuring up a dreamy atmosphere. The texture feels almost moss-like, a kind of soft focus on the world. It’s like memory itself, not quite sharp, but full of feeling. Notice how the strokes around the church tower are delicate and vertical, giving it a sense of height and aspiration, like reaching for the sky. This piece reminds me a bit of Whistler, with its muted tones and emphasis on mood. But Cotton brings his own kind of quiet joy to the process, and it feels very grounded. It’s a reminder that art doesn’t always need to shout, sometimes it whispers and invites us to slow down, and look closely.