Rowallon 1929

James McBey made this watercolour drawing, Rowallon, probably in the 1930s. What strikes me is the freedom of the touch, those watercolour washes laid down to make the land and sky. It feels so immediate. You can almost feel McBey outside with his paper in front of him. There's a lovely looseness in the way he renders the landscape, like he’s letting the water and pigment do their thing. Look at that grey road, so wet and slippery. And see how the thin washes of blue and pink in the sky create such a vast, airy space with the lightest touch. Even the scrawled signature feels part of the same gesture! There's a bit of Whistler here in McBey's approach, but with a Scottish twist. Like Whistler, he's interested in atmosphere and capturing a mood, but there's also a ruggedness to this landscape that feels very particular. It’s like he’s saying, art isn't about perfection, it’s about feeling and being present.