The Lone Goose c. 1930

This is 'The Lone Goose', a small etching made by George Bradshaw sometime in the first half of the 20th Century. It’s like a scene caught in a dream, isn't it? Bradshaw’s got this amazing way of using lines to create depth, making the water feel both still and reflective, like you could fall right into it. I can almost feel him, standing over the plate, scratching away with his etching needle, trying to capture that fleeting moment. Maybe he was thinking about the lone figure in the boat, or about how the sky looks just before a storm. I bet he felt a bit like that lone goose himself, out there on his own, trying to find his way. Look at the way the figure’s reflection shimmers in the water, it almost feels like a ghost. Painters, we're all just trying to capture something real, and make it new.