Annotaties c. 1915 - 1921

Willem Witsen made this sheet of paper with graphite annotations. I imagine him with his materials, ready to record something and then actually doing it. The gesture of the pen seems so fast like he is recording something as soon as it comes to mind! I’m fascinated by the surface of this work. The paper looks lightly textured and the graphite marks are very delicate. I wonder what kind of pen Witsen used, how it felt in his hand. Was he thinking about how it would look? Did he like the way the graphite appeared on this paper? Maybe he used the materials he had to hand and just got on with it. This page makes me think about my own process. I’m sure all painters have certain go-to materials and ways of using them. I suppose that, like Witsen, we find our own methods through constant practice. I think we're all in conversation with each other; each of us trying to express something that feels urgent and true.