Pamet Hill, Truro 1988

Leo Dee made this drawing of Pamet Hill in Truro using graphite on paper. What I love about a drawing like this is how it distills seeing into its most basic elements; value, line, tone. I imagine Leo Dee outside, sitting on the ground with his sketchpad resting on his knees, squinting to see the subtle gradations of light and shadow on the landscape. The strokes of graphite are so delicate, yet they build up to create a sense of depth and texture. It’s as though he's trying to capture not just what Pamet Hill looks like, but how it feels to be there, grounded to that specific location. The image kind of hovers in the middle of the page. This reminds me of the work of Agnes Martin, who also used simple lines and forms to evoke a sense of serenity and contemplation. There’s a quietness here. Maybe that’s what all artists are searching for, a chance to slow down, to really see, and to translate that seeing into something new.