Of Homer and Hopper

Wes and I saw a special exhibit at the Art Institute this afternoon (after a field trip there with 50 teenage girls) of Winslow Homer and Edward Hopper. It's quite enjoyable, and I highly recommend it. I didn't really know Homer before. Wes really enjoyed his drawings for Harper of the Civil War, buff that he is. I like his waterscapes and paintings from the Bahamas. Hopper I knew primarly for Nighthawks, which belongs to the Art Institute. However, I actually prefer his watercolors of houses and seascapes in New England. I'm not much of an artist or a student of art to comment on individual style or methods, but I have to say that one thing I noticed today is how much I prefer most watercolor to oil paintings. The subtle shading of the watercolor and grainyness on the paper is lovely.