Vermont Farm 1943

This is a pencil drawing of a Vermont Farm by Milton Avery. You can see how the drawing emerged as Avery built up the image with tentative lines, erasures, and corrections. It's an interesting drawing that captures a moment in time. I can imagine Avery out in the field making this drawing. You can see the artist’s hand, in the way he uses a delicate touch to outline the fields and horses, pressing harder to darken the barn. The horses, they almost look like they are smiling! The marks are like a shorthand for the real thing. Avery is constantly playing with ideas of representation. He doesn't need to give us all the details, just enough for our minds to do the rest. This sketch is a precursor to his paintings. Avery was inspired by artists like Matisse, who are also known for simplifying forms and using color to express emotion. In his own way, Avery embraced ambiguity and uncertainty. What a great artist!