Torn Spruce 1975

Jamie Wyeth made this painting of a tree, Torn Spruce, in oil, and it feels like a very particular moment, a snapshot of something that happened. There’s this torn, raw, splintered wood right in the center, almost glowing against the darker greens and browns around it. You can see the brushstrokes really clearly, especially in that damaged part of the tree. It's like Wyeth wanted you to see how the paint was applied, the way the light catches on those broken edges. That central wound, that bright tear, pulls you in. It’s both violent and beautiful. Seeing this, I can't help but think of someone like Gerhard Richter, who also knew how to turn the mundane into something monumental through paint. This piece is more than just a tree; it’s about damage, resilience, and the strange beauty you can find in broken things. It’s a conversation, really, about how we see and feel the world around us.