The Inlet 1913

Maurice Prendergast made this oil painting, The Inlet, at an unknown date. The brushstrokes in this painting are like little jewels, aren’t they? Prendergast’s approach to mark-making feels completely intuitive. You get the impression he’s allowing the painting to lead him, which is exactly what I try to do with my own work. Look at the way he builds up the surface with these small, mosaic-like strokes. He’s not trying to hide the process, but rather reveling in the materiality of the paint. The way he contrasts the dabs of warm colors in the foreground with the cool blues of the water creates a shimmering effect. It’s as if the entire scene is vibrating with light and energy. I love that one small zig-zag of black paint in the foreground, it's so simple, but it really pops out. It reminds me a little of Vuillard, actually, with that same interest in the everyday and a similar approach to fragmented form. Ultimately, art is a conversation.