March in the Birch Woods 1919

Clarence Gagnon made this painting of a snowy birch forest with oils. There's something really pleasing about how he's built the whole scene from layers of brushy marks. The texture of the paint is so key here. It gives everything a soft, almost dreamlike quality. I love the way the trees are not just white, but have all these subtle undertones of blue and brown. Look at the way he's used short, choppy strokes to build up the forms of the trees and the snow. It's like he's capturing the way the light filters through the branches. The cool blues in the sky and shadows against the warmth of the horse blanket create a nice contrast. See that dark vertical mark on the tree in the center of the composition? To me, it anchors the whole painting, like a silent witness. It reminds me of Bonnard, that same love for color and the way it can evoke a mood. Art’s not about answers, is it? It’s more like a question that keeps changing.