Snow Flurries, North Shore of Lake Superior 

Franklin Carmichael's watercolor, "Snow Flurries, North Shore of Lake Superior" captures a tranquil landscape under a dramatic sky. The monochromatic palette, dominated by blues and grays, gives the scene a serene yet melancholic feel. The composition is striking in its simplicity. The horizontal bands of land, water, and sky create a layered effect, while the diagonal rays of sunlight pierce through the heavy clouds, adding depth and dynamism. Carmichael uses the watercolor medium to its full potential, allowing the washes of color to blend and bleed, creating a soft, atmospheric effect. The stark contrast between the dark, solid forms of the land and the ephemeral, translucent quality of the sky is particularly effective. Carmichael’s approach here can be seen as a semiotic representation of nature, where each element, such as the clouds, light, and land, acts as a signifier pointing to broader concepts of nature. His calculated use of visual elements destabilizes traditional landscape painting.