Bomen in blad in groen veld tegen blauwe lucht 1939 - 2009

Kees Stoop made this little watercolour and crayon drawing of "Trees in Leaf in a Green Field against a Blue Sky" sometime in the 20th century. It looks like he started with broad washes of watery paint, and then added texture and definition with crayon. I love the way the colours are both muted and vibrant at the same time. Look at the lower part of the field, where the white of the paper shows through the thin green washes, and then compare this with the darker greens and blues in the canopy of the trees. It is like Stoop is playing with transparency and opacity to create a sense of depth and atmosphere. I can almost feel the warmth of the sun on my skin and hear the buzzing of insects in the field. The crayon marks give the drawing a lovely tactile quality, like he’s scribbling down a memory. Stoop reminds me of Bonnard who also worked a lot from memory, taking notes on the world. Both artists remind us that art is less about perfect representation and more about capturing a feeling, or a fleeting moment.