Snokomo Road 1974

Sheigla Hartman made this drawing, Snokomo Road, with what looks like graphite or a soft lead. The method is all about the lines; they’re restless, searching, trying to find the form of the trees. It's a great example of how the process of artmaking is a form of thinking, like the artist is working out the puzzle of what she sees. It is all about the texture of those graphite lines on the paper. Look closely, and you can almost feel the slight tooth of the paper. The lines aren’t precious or overworked; they have a casual confidence, a kind of ‘I’m just exploring here’ vibe. See how some lines double back, or fade in and out? It’s like Hartman is thinking aloud with her pencil. It reminds me of the early drawings of Brice Marden, where he’s feeling his way through space with simple means. This piece embraces ambiguity, and that's what keeps it alive. It reminds us that art isn’t about answers, but about the questions we ask along the way.