Seattle Art Museum - a current exhibition

"Farm to Table: Art, Food, and Identity in the Age of Impressionism". I'm a big fan of all things Impressionism and this one did not disappoint. I picked out my favorites from the exhibition to highlight here...

You have until January 18, 2026 to see this one in person. Use this as an enticing preview or the next best thing to being there - just in case you can't make it to Seattle in the next month.

Another thing that I'm a big fan of is a great composition. This painting hit the mark for me. Such a well told story with evocative lighting all beautifully orchestrated. So much to love... the colors, the drawing, the atmosphere, even the baby chic running around amidst it all! I circled back a few times to revisit this one.

On my list of favorite painters is John Singer Sargent. Always a treat to see his work in person. The overhead lighting in the museum caused a glare on the top in the photo - sorry about that. But you can still see the amazing fabric painted so eloquently , as always, by Sargent.

Look closely at the way he handles the fabric - now that's a master with paint! AND check out the bottom of the foot, shadow and ground underneath - WOW! That's oil paint handling at it's very best. :-)

I absolutely love seeing his work up close where I can fully appreciate his brushwork. I wanted to share those gorgeous details with you here, just in case you can't make it to the show to ogle those brushstrokes in person...

And last but not least... a painting by Victor Gilbert that captivated me for quite some time. SO MUCH to look at and he did a stellar job at simplifying such a chaotic scene into a beautiful painting rich with story. With everything going on, he still managed to draw the viewers attention to the center of interest - the women and fish on the left side of the painting. Touché Victor!

The artistic skill needed to pull this one off is gargantuan! The drawing and composition really works for me. A good call to angle that roof line for the overall design.

Just thinking about where to begin to tame this much chaos in a scene, in order to create a painting, can make your head spin. There is A LOT in there to organize!

As a painter, I can sure see the allure in those tantalizing textures. What FUN - painting the juxtaposition of fur, lace, fish, baskets, etc. - mixed in with the challenge of a very complicated perspective drawing. This one must of been extremely satisfying to complete. ;-)

Hope you can make it to the Exhibition to see it all for yourself in person. Definitely the best way to view Art. Send me your list of favorites if you get to Seattle. And, enjoy!