Landscape 1943

Milton Avery made this landscape, probably en plein air, using what looks like a ballpoint pen on paper. The thing that grabs me here is the immediacy. Look at how the marks build up; quick, scribbled, almost nervous energy, but somehow they give you everything you need. You can feel the breeze in the trees, the sun on the hill. It's not about being perfect; it's about catching a moment, an impression. I'm drawn to those little flower shapes in the foreground. They’re so simple, just a few lines, but they ground the whole scene, giving it depth. I think of Cy Twombly's scribbled drawings, how he could evoke a whole world with just a few marks. Avery does that here too. It's a reminder that art doesn't always have to be polished or finished. Sometimes, it's the quick, imperfect moments that speak the loudest.