Lifting Fog, Carmel 

Rose O’Neill created this oil on canvas painting called Lifting Fog, Carmel, although the date is unknown. O’Neill was already a successful commercial artist and writer when she relocated to the Carmel-by-the-Sea artist colony in California. The colony offered artists an escape from the constraints of urban life and fostered experimentation with new techniques. This landscape painting depicts a coastal scene in Carmel, California, which was known for its unique geography. The fog creates a sense of mystery and tranquility, highlighting the beauty of the natural world. The way O'Neill captures the fog lifting can be seen as symbolic of the social and artistic changes of the time. Artists like O'Neill, through their work, challenged existing social norms, advocating for more progressive views on nature and society. To fully appreciate the historical context, one might explore the archives of the Carmel Arts and Crafts Club or study the diaries of artists who lived in the colony during this time. Art is always contingent on the social and institutional contexts in which it is created.