Woman Doll in Buckskin c. 1938

This watercolour painting presents two 'Woman Dolls in Buckskin' by George File, a painter born in 1855. I can imagine File carefully mixing his paints to get that earthy, leathery tone, layering the pigment to evoke the soft texture of buckskin. It’s not about perfection; it’s about capturing the essence, the spirit of the dolls. Those red sashes are a total contrast. They add a flash of life, cinching the dolls’ waists. I can see File deciding where each brushstroke should land, thinking about colour and balance. The dolls are ghostlike figures emerging on the paper. It's like File is in conversation with the dolls, the history they represent, and the people who made them. Painters like File and me, we're all part of this ongoing conversation across time. Every gesture, every stroke is part of a bigger story. It's an expression of something deeply felt, open to interpretation, and always, always evolving.