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April 11th, 2008

Toxic Run-Off: Tranquil Bay
AC 2002.128
Adam Straus, American, born 1956
Oil on paper, 2000
Museum Purchase


Straus, a well-known political artist, creates landscapes that engage environmental issues. As the artist himself explained it, his paintings are descriptions of places that are endangered by new developments and may soon vanish.

Here, Straus explored unconventional techniques and styles. The blending of colors, the fluidity of the medium and of the brushstrokes, and the free use of the white paper are all characteristics of watercolor painting; yet Straus used oil paints. He took a non-traditional approach to his choice of paper as well. The Winsor & Newton watermark in the lower left corner is orientated incorrectly: Straus was using the back of the sheet.

Written by Nicole Campbell, Class of 2009