In the Wyoming Valley 

Curator: Right now we’re looking at Robert Henri’s landscape piece titled "In the Wyoming Valley". He created this plein-air work using oil paint. What’s your first take on it? Editor: Hmm, it feels…unsettled. That heavy sky presses down, and even the greens feel a little bruised, don't you think? There's something romantic about it but laced with melancholy. Like a storm's about to break. Curator: It's interesting you pick up on that. Henri’s practice often revolved around the direct observation of life. With pieces like this, we can think about his application of paint—the brushstrokes are quick and expressive, reflecting the immediacy of painting outdoors and how weather becomes an active participant. Editor: Absolutely. You can almost feel him battling the wind and light, trying to capture that fleeting moment before the rain really comes down. And I’m wondering, what’s he seeing as he renders this landscape—the raw power of nature or his own inner turbulence reflected in it? Is this just about painting or feeling? Curator: I think it’s both and more. His technique wasn’t simply representational, but an active interpretation. He also encouraged artists to focus on everyday subjects. Even the grand Wyoming Valley is brought down to earth through his application, accessible brushwork, and perspective. It makes it, dare I say it, very modern! Editor: Well, in some ways, landscapes will always have a hold on our hearts, especially a landscape done so rawly and immediately as this one. So, in the end, maybe it all circles back—the materials, the making, the heart, all meeting under that brewing Wyoming sky. Curator: Precisely! A full cycle connecting earth to artistic expression. Thank you for walking through it with me.