Untitled (Ghost Gum, Mt Sonder, MacDonnell Ranges) 1953

Albert Namatjira made this watercolour painting, Untitled (Ghost Gum, Mt Sonder, MacDonnell Ranges), with a light touch, building the landscape with delicate washes of color. It's all about the process, letting the water do its thing, creating soft edges and a hazy atmosphere. The texture is smooth, almost like looking through a slightly fogged-up window. You can see the paper grain underneath, which gives it a fragile feel. The colors are muted, desert hues – browns, blues, greens – all gently blended. Look at the way he’s painted the ghost gum tree, how it snakes up the canvas. There are tiny details in the branches and leaves, created with very small brushstrokes, contrasting with the mountain range sketched in the background. It's like he’s mapping a personal connection to this place. Namatjira's style reminds me a little of Georgia O'Keeffe, maybe it's the way he captures a sense of place with a kind of quiet, reverent observation. I love how art can hold so many possibilities, and how different artists can find new ways to see the world around them.