Beach Birds 1954

Milton Avery made this print called ‘Beach Birds’ and, well, it's blue, and it's like, not just blue, but a kind of deep, inky, oceanic blue. You can almost see Avery in his studio, right? Maybe he's carving into a block, thinking about the beach, trying to grab the essence of these birds with as few lines as possible. It's a tricky thing, capturing movement and life with something so static. These aren’t really ‘birds’ birds, they are more like bird signs, the idea of birds. The white lines zig and zag, suggesting wings and beaks. I can almost feel the salty air and hear the distant cries of gulls. Avery's got this incredible way of making you feel like you’re there with him. I see echoes of Matisse and maybe even a little Arthur Dove in here, artists unafraid to pare down to the essentials. It feels like Avery’s inviting us to share in his vision, to see the world with fresh eyes, where a few simple lines can evoke a whole world.