Illustrations for Mikhail Stelmakh's book "In the Hedgehog's Windmill" 1956

This illustration by Hryhorii Havrylenko for Mikhail Stelmakh’s book "In the Hedgehog's Windmill" is all about the beauty of simple lines and humble narratives. There’s something so immediate and intimate about the way these marks are laid down – it feels like you're watching the story unfold, right there on the page. Look at the cross hatching of the children’s clothes and hair, how they convey depth and texture. It’s the kind of texture that you just want to reach out and touch. Then there’s the way the artist uses line weight to bring certain elements forward, like the kid with the satchel, while letting others recede into the background. It’s so casual, so unassuming, yet so effective in pulling you into the scene. Havrylenko’s work reminds me a little of Paula Rego, in that they both find a way to tap into the primal energy of childhood. There’s an immediacy, a sense of honesty, that just gets under your skin. And that’s what makes art so thrilling, right? It's never about easy answers, but about embracing the messiness and ambiguity of life.