The Gatherer 2009

Bo Bartlett painted ‘The Gatherer’ at an unknown date using an unknown medium. There is a calm that resonates here, the kind you get sitting in front of the ocean and staring into space. I’m immediately drawn to the muted blues and grays, and the very particular way Bartlett has blended them. The texture of the sky alone is remarkable; it’s not just a backdrop, but a participant in the mood, which has that American realist melancholy. I sympathize with the artist as he tries to capture this particular feeling. It's like he’s working with thin layers, building up the image slowly, thoughtfully. Look at the way her dress falls, the soft folds suggesting both weight and lightness. Even the horizon line, so subtly rendered, speaks of a vastness beyond the frame. The 'Gatherer' is not so different from other portraits in the history of painting, but the real conversation comes to life when it is seen in conjunction with others. Artists are always talking to each other across time, inspiring new ways of seeing and feeling.