Watching for the Smoke Signal 1907

Charles M. Russell created "Watching for the Smoke Signal" in 1907 using watercolor and gouache, a technique known for its opacity and depth of color. Looking at it, I can almost feel the artist’s hand moving, blending those soft earth tones with the hazy sky. The brushstrokes create this sense of anticipation, like a breath held, waiting for a signal that might change everything. I imagine Russell, out there, trying to capture a moment that is both still and full of potential energy. What does it mean to wait, to watch? He probably thought about the different ways of communicating – like that smoke signal – but also about the silence, and what it means to be attuned to the land. The watercolor almost vibrates, the figures seem poised, ready to react. It reminds me of the work of painters like Homer, who also knew how to make watercolours sing. It speaks to the shared language of observation, and how different artists, in their own way, try to pin down a feeling, a moment, a fleeting connection. And, you know, paintings like this are always a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation.