Old Lynn 

Curator: John Thirtle's "Old Lynn" presents a bustling waterfront scene, rendered in watercolor on paper. Editor: My first impression is the muted tonality; a melancholic quality pervades this port. Curator: Note how Thirtle employs a skillful arrangement of forms, the way the linear thrust of the masts counters the horizontal landscape elements. Consider the interplay of light and shadow. Editor: The masts indeed draw the eye upward, but I also see the flags atop them, suggesting trade and connection. Even the smoke rising points toward industry and human activity. Curator: The composition demonstrates a clear understanding of pictorial structure. The precise arrangement of the scene’s components enhances its stability and balance. Editor: Stability, yes, but also a sense of change—the medieval tower juxtaposed with contemporary commerce hints at the passage of time. Curator: Precisely, it's a study in contrasts within a unified pictorial field. Editor: It's a poignant image, evoking both progress and a certain nostalgia.