Study for Woman in Purple 

Morgan Russell created this painting, "Study for Woman in Purple," using oil on canvas. At first glance, it might seem like a fairly traditional medium, but look closer and you'll notice Russell's unconventional approach. The loose, gestural brushstrokes are a far cry from the smooth, polished surfaces you often see in academic painting. There's a real emphasis here on the materiality of the paint itself, its thickness and texture. The pigments aren't blended to create a seamless illusion, but rather laid down in distinct strokes, building up the image layer by layer. This technique, influenced by the avant-garde movements of the early 20th century, challenged the established hierarchy that valued skillful representation above all else. Russell wasn't afraid to let the process show, reminding us that this is, first and foremost, a painting made with physical materials. By celebrating the act of making, he blurs the lines between fine art and craft, suggesting that the true value of a work lies not just in what it depicts, but in how it was made.