Cass 1936

Rita Angus made this painting, "Cass," with oil on canvas, and what gets me is the way she’s built up the image with these clear, distinct shapes. It’s like she's puzzle-piecing the landscape together. Look closely, and you'll see how the paint isn’t trying to hide itself. Each brushstroke is pretty visible, giving everything a kind of solid, tangible feel. The colors are muted, almost like looking at a faded photograph, but they create a strong sense of place. The mountains, with their contours clearly outlined, feel both monumental and approachable. Then, there’s that figure sitting on the platform; so solitary. It reminds me a little of Edward Hopper, but less about alienation and more about quiet observation. Both painters share a fascination with the way light shapes space and our emotional response to it. Ultimately, Angus invites us to see the world not as a seamless whole, but as a collection of moments and perceptions.