Nearer the Quarries at Shillidear 

Curator: Nicholas Pocock’s watercolor, “Nearer the Quarries at Shillidear,” captures a muted scene. It's a landscape with figures and a horse-drawn cart making its way across the terrain. Editor: It's so gentle, almost faded—a dreamlike quality. But what story do these figures tell? Are they just picturesque elements, or do they represent something more about labor and the land? Curator: Consider how the quarries affected local communities and their labor. The subdued palette and the inclusion of working figures invite contemplation of the socio-economic realities tied to resource extraction. Editor: Yes, and beyond the immediate labor, what about the larger narrative? Resource extraction often intersects with power dynamics, gendered labor roles, and environmental impact on communities. Curator: Precisely. Pocock's choice of watercolor, a medium often associated with travel and documentation, speaks to the evolving processes and material changes to the landscape due to this extraction. Editor: Thanks to your perspective, I am considering the image more critically now. Curator: It is a rich piece to contemplate.