Apricot trees in blossom 1929

Martiros Sarian made this painting of apricot trees in blossom in 1929 with visible brushstrokes and a mostly muted palette. There's a sense of improvisation, like he's figuring it out as he goes, which I totally relate to. The paint has a kind of crusty texture, especially in the blossoms, which makes me think about the physicality of painting. The way he layers those whites and grays, you can almost feel the weight of the paint. The light hits it just so, creating this subtle shimmer, a kind of glow. Look at the tree trunk where the boy is sitting, see how the brown has a blue tinge? It's not just brown, it's brown with a mood. Sarian reminds me a little of the Fauvist painters, how they used color to express emotion rather than just represent reality. But Sarian's got his own thing going on, a kind of quiet intensity that draws you in. For me, it’s a good example of how painting can be a way of thinking through feeling.