Sea Grasses and Blue Sea 1958

Milton Avery’s Sea Grasses and Blue Sea is a painting of flat planes of colour, a meditation on perception and feeling. I can imagine Avery layering thin washes of pigment, building up a surface that feels both calm and alive, creating a dreamy and evocative experience for the viewer. The way the black sea grasses sit on top of the blue, it feels like the painting emerged slowly, shifting and solidifying, one decision placed on top of another. I think of other painters like Rothko, or even Agnes Martin, and how their work explores similar territory—the emotional resonance of color and form. But Avery brings his own distinct sensibility, a kind of quiet intimacy that draws you in close. His work reminds us that artists are always in conversation with each other, riffing on ideas and pushing the boundaries of what painting can be. For Avery, painting wasn't just about representation; it was about capturing a feeling, an atmosphere, a moment in time.