The Beach at Dinard 1907

Clarence Gagnon painted The Beach at Dinard with what looks like loose brushstrokes, capturing a breezy day, plein air. The colours are really interesting, right? The deep blues of the sea contrast with the yellows of the beach, and the figures are just suggestions, almost like colour notes in the landscape. The material quality here is key; it's not about precision, but about feeling the wind, the light, the texture of the sand. Look closely, and you can see how the paint is applied in short, choppy strokes. It’s almost like Gagnon is building up the image from a collection of abstract marks. I really like the way the white of the umbrella and the dress kind of shimmer against the darker backdrop, making the figure stand out. Gagnon’s interest in capturing the fleeting, ephemeral qualities of light and atmosphere reminds me of the Impressionists, especially someone like Monet. Like them, he seems to be interested in the way that art can be less about depicting a scene and more about creating a specific mood. I think art should be about embracing the uncertainties and possibilities of the moment.