Schilder Jan van Oort in zijn atelier aan de Plantage Middenlaan 37 in Amsterdam after 1903

Sigmund Löw took this photograph of the painter Jan van Oort in his studio at Plantage Middenlaan, Amsterdam, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. I love the intimacy of this shot! The artist is surrounded by his works, mostly studies of birds it seems. The paintings are diverse, with some being sketches, some more finished. I find myself wondering about the artist's intentions. Is he trying to capture the essence of each bird, or is he more interested in the formal aspects of painting, like composition, color, and texture? As a painter, I know that artists learn and grow through the act of painting itself. We make discoveries, and stumble upon new possibilities. It's a conversation with the materials, and a way of thinking through making. We are all connected through our shared love of painting, and through the act of creating. This image is a reminder that artists are always in dialogue, drawing inspiration from the world around them, and from each other.