Study for "Wind from the Sea" (recto) c. 1947

Andrew Wyeth made this study with pencil on paper. It's so cool to see the bare bones of an image like this – the artist’s initial thoughts and movements right there on the page. I imagine Wyeth's hand moving quickly, trying to capture the essence of the wind and sea. You can almost feel the gusty breeze just by looking at the marks, which are like shorthand for the wildness of nature. The lines aren't precious or careful; they're full of energy and urgency, and there's a realness to them. The dark blacks push against lighter, smudged greys. It reminds me that every painting starts with an idea, a feeling, a gesture. Even in the most detailed, realist paintings there's an element of abstraction and expression. It's as if the wind blew right through Wyeth and onto this paper. He's in conversation with the landscape but also with painters throughout time, trying to make sense of the world through mark-making.