Urn Design c. 1940

Charles Goodwin made this Urn Design with pen and ink and watercolor over graphite on paper. The monochromatic palette here gives the piece a really calm feel, like a quiet morning in the studio where the possibilities are endless. There's something so interesting about seeing an artist's process laid bare like this. You can almost feel Goodwin working out the form, the dimensions. See how the lines are so precise, yet the watercolor washes are soft and dreamy? It's like he's balancing control with letting go, which is what making art is all about. The subtle gradations in tone – like around the rim of the urn – give it a sense of depth, of volume, and that makes me want to reach out and touch it. This reminds me a little of Agnes Martin's drawings, with their delicate lines and understated beauty. Both artists seem to be searching for something beyond the surface, something essential. And that's what keeps us looking, keeps us wondering.