Wieczor Wilejka 

Ferdynand Ruszczyc created this atmospheric landscape, "Evening in Vileika," using watercolor on paper. The choice of watercolor lends itself beautifully to capturing the scene's ephemeral qualities. Ruszczyc coaxes a remarkable range of tonal variation from the pigments, building up layers of washes to create depth and shadow. The way the paint bleeds and blends on the paper evokes the stillness and dampness of twilight, a mood he would have observed first-hand. Ruszczyc also leaves areas of the paper bare, allowing the white to serve as highlights and create a sense of luminosity. This economy of means is a hallmark of watercolor, demanding that the artist make careful decisions about each brushstroke. Ultimately, understanding Ruszczyc's material choices allows us to appreciate his sensitivity to the nuances of light and atmosphere. It reminds us that artmaking is always a process of skillful translation, bringing the world to life through physical means.