Part of Sabine D Region of the Moon, Southwest Mare Tranquilitatis 1972

Nancy Graves made “Part of Sabine D Region of the Moon, Southwest Mare Tranquilitatis” using what looks like colored pencil or pastel in a pointillist style. I love how the surface is built up through these tiny marks. The color palette isn’t what you might expect, given the subject matter – pinks, greens, and blues dominate. Looking closely, you can see how the textures vary across the surface. There are areas where the dots are densely packed, creating a solid field of color, and others where they are more sparse, allowing the white of the paper to peek through. This layering creates depth and visual interest, and it emphasizes the physicality of the medium. Graves almost makes the moon seem like an alien landscape. Agnes Martin, with her delicate grids and subtle color variations, comes to mind. Both artists use repetition and meticulous mark-making to explore perception, but Graves brings an unexpected playfulness. It’s a reminder that art isn't about recreating reality, but about opening up new ways of seeing and imagining.