Scenic Shorelines 1950

Edward Runci made this painting using oil paint. It's got these smooth, creamy colors, all pastels and soft edges. I can imagine Runci starting with a basic sketch, then slowly building up layers of paint, tweaking and adjusting as he went. Maybe he'd step back, squint his eyes, and see how the values were working. And I wonder, was he listening to music while he painted? Maybe some big band tunes? Look at the way he's painted the sand, all buttery and thick, especially where someone's made a love heart, and the soft, hazy blues of the water – it’s like he's trying to capture a feeling, a mood, not just a picture-perfect scene. It reminds me of some of Wayne Thiebaud's paintings – that same love of everyday life, and those smooth brushstrokes and clear light. And of course Norman Rockwell, who also worked as an illustrator. There’s a real back-and-forth between artists, a conversation that keeps going, always shifting and changing, as each generation takes a turn.