In 1875, Homer submitted over thirty watercolors and black and white drawings to the American Society of Painters in Water Colors exhibition and was elected a member one year later. Around this time, he decided to abandon his commercial art career to concentrate fully on his painting as a means of support. Towards the end of the decade, as Impressionism took hold of the art world and both artists and some critics embraced plein air painting, Homer’s distinct style, once described as eccentric and unfinished, received rave reviews in the Society’s 1879 exhibition. Vindicated, he approached more outlets to sell his watercolors and found a receptive audience.