North Berwick 1903

Samuel Peploe made this painting of North Berwick, probably *en plein air*, with oils on what looks like a small board. The approach is all about the process – dabs and dashes of color become a field, a sky, and, if you look closely, sheep. There’s a real physicality to this little painting. The paint isn't trying to hide itself, you know? It's not blended smooth or anything. You can see the marks he made, the direction of the brushstrokes. It’s like he’s saying, "Here’s how I saw this place, here’s how I made this painting.” The sheep themselves, they're almost abstract shapes of white and grey, plopped onto the green. Look how the shadow beneath one of them is this juicy, dark squiggle! It’s so direct. It reminds me a bit of Van Gogh, that same love of color and the raw energy of the mark. But Peploe’s got his own thing going on here. It feels so present, like a conversation happening right in front of you.