Isabel Bishop Early Sketchbook c. 1928 - 1936

Isabel Bishop made this early sketchbook page with what looks like a pen or a fine liner, capturing a series of figures in simple lines. It's all about the process of looking and recording. The texture here is created by the density and direction of the lines, a kind of visual shorthand. Take the figure in the middle, huddled over – the quick, scribbled lines convey the weight and weariness, there’s a real emotional charge. It’s not about perfect rendering; it’s about capturing a feeling, an essence. You know, when I look at this, I'm reminded of Daumier’s quick sketches. Bishop, like him, is interested in the everyday, in the human condition. And just as my paintings are about layering and uncovering, this sketchbook page is about seeing the world, bit by bit, line by line. It’s an ongoing conversation, a constant exchange of ideas.