Studies of Bathers 1943

Milton Avery made these Studies of Bathers with graphite on paper, probably while sitting on the beach himself. I love the open, searching quality of a sketchbook; it's not about perfection, but a kind of visual note-taking. The top sketch has some pretty heavy shading, like he was really feeling the weight of the reclining figure. Then below, the two standing figures are just the bare minimum of line needed to suggest form. It’s like Avery is thinking out loud: how little do I need to do to make this work? These studies feel like a conversation with artists like Matisse, but Avery has his own way of simplifying, almost flattening, forms. It’s this kind of playful reduction that keeps the image fresh, alive, and open to interpretation. For me, art isn't about answers, but about the questions we ask along the way.