Clouds and Sky, Iona 1928

Samuel Peploe made this painting of clouds and sky on the island of Iona, probably using oil paint on a small board. I’m imagining him dabbing and stroking the surface, trying to match those fleeting clouds. I can feel Peploe reaching for something real but just out of grasp, trying to catch the light as it moves across the land and sea. It's like he's in a dance with nature, trying to keep up. His marks are so gestural. It’s a lovely push and pull between observation and invention. Look how he uses thick paint to build up the clouds, giving them a sense of weight and volume, while the sky is thinner, more transparent. And that turquoise water! It's so vibrant, almost electric. It reminds me a bit of the Scottish Colourists and their pursuit of light and colour. There's this real sense of joy in the way he handles the paint. It's like he's saying, “Isn't this world beautiful, even in its fleeting moments?” And I think it's a conversation that artists have been having for centuries.