Hillside Pasture 1924

Willard Metcalf built this landscape with oil on canvas. It’s a hillside pasture with trees in full autumn colors. I can imagine Metcalf standing in front of this scene, squinting, and mixing all those browns, greens, oranges, and reds. It feels like he was trying to capture not just the look but the feeling of this place. See how the paint is dabbed on in little strokes? He’s using the brush almost like he’s knitting, building up the image bit by bit. There's a real generosity to the way he lays down the color, like he wants you to feel the warmth of the sun and the coolness of the shade. Painters are always looking at other painters. It’s like we’re all having this ongoing conversation across time. Metcalf probably looked at Corot and Monet, but then other painters looked at Metcalf. I bet he even looked at some folk art. The conversation goes both ways! That’s the magic of painting, isn’t it? It’s an invitation to see the world in a new way, and to keep that conversation going.