Southwest Texas 1919

Robert Julian Onderdonk made this oil on canvas painting of Southwest Texas, and I can imagine him outdoors squinting into the sun. The sky is big, bright, and blue with cotton-wool clouds that he renders with thick daubs of white paint. The landscape spreads out before us, rendered in shades of tan and brown. I imagine Onderdonk standing there, maybe sweating, trying to get the light just right. Did he mix his colors on the spot, trying to capture the ephemeral effects of light and atmosphere? You can almost feel the heat radiating off the land, and the cool breeze rustling through the trees. Look at that road winding into the distance. It’s so inviting, like it’s beckoning you to come along for the ride. Painting is like that too – it’s a journey of discovery, a process of finding your way through the unknown. Onderdonk invites us to reflect upon our own journey.