Brightlingsea, No.2 1922

James McBey made this etching, Brightlingsea, No. 2, with visible strokes and a light palette. You can tell that the plate was probably etched with rapid, sure movements. I bet McBey was really in the zone that day, just letting the scene in front of him pour out through his hand. Look how the figures on the shore seem to be hustling and bustling, full of energy! And the boats bobbing in the water? You can almost feel the sea breeze. There’s a looseness to his mark-making, like he wasn’t trying to nail every detail but instead was trying to get the overall vibe of the place. It reminds me of some of Whistler’s etchings, that same sense of atmosphere. Ultimately, it's this kind of expressive freedom that keeps the conversation around art alive. One artist sees something, interprets it, and then another artist comes along and sees something new in that interpretation. It’s this ongoing exchange that keeps art exciting.