Wood Carving - Shell c. 1939

This delicately rendered study of a wood carving was made by Clayton Clements. The flowing lines of the conch shell were captured in watercolor pencil. Just imagine the artist, carefully observing the play of light on the sculpted wood, trying to capture the essence of the shell's form. What kind of dialogue was Clements having with the object he was depicting? Did he try to get to the heart of the thing and translate its three-dimensionality onto a two-dimensional surface? The subtle variations of tone and shadow emphasize the carving’s intricate details, its ridges and curves. The warm palette of browns and creams gives it a sense of naturalism. It reminds me of the kind of close observation that someone like, say, Dürer brought to his depictions of the natural world. These kinds of studies help us to understand the world more deeply. Artists learn from each other across time, each pushing the boundaries of seeing.