A Wooded Stream 

Editor: So, this is John Frederick Lewis's "A Wooded Stream," painted in watercolour. It feels very immediate, almost like a sketch. What stands out to you? Curator: The visible paper and suggestive brushstrokes point to a specific mode of production. Watercolour lends itself to on-site work. It speaks to a changing relationship with landscape, moving away from idealized depictions to a more immediate and personal experience of nature. Editor: That's interesting. So, it's not just about what is depicted, but how and where it was made. I never thought about that. Curator: Exactly. The accessibility of the medium itself democratizes artmaking. It places value on observation and the act of creating, rather than solely on the finished product. Editor: I see. Looking at it this way has completely shifted my perspective! Thanks.