Margaret ("gretchen") Strong 1909

Frank Benson painted this image of a woman in probable oils, and most likely, outdoors, en plein air. The surface seems scrubbed, like he’s pushing the paint around, building up the image through layers. You can almost see him squinting, trying to capture the light just so. I imagine Benson positioning his easel, maybe the wind is whipping his hair as he dabs at the canvas, trying to catch the fleeting moment. Is that his daughter? His sister? There’s a real intimacy here, a quiet observation of someone lost in their own thoughts. I wonder what she’s thinking? Look at the way the light catches the folds of her dress – it’s almost like the fabric is breathing. The colors are soft, muted, like a hazy memory. Think of other impressionist painters like Berthe Morisot and Mary Cassatt, who were also exploring similar themes of domesticity and observation. Painting is an act of call and response; the more you work, the more you think, the more you feel, the more you see. It's an exchange between artist, subject, and material, each one speaking to the other across time.