Zeepaarden c. 1901

Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof made this drawing, called Zeepaarden, with pencil on paper. The seahorses emerge from a few, seemingly effortless, pencil lines. Look closely and you see it’s on lined paper. I love that! It’s like Dijsselhof was in a meeting, doodling in his notebook. The artist has captured the animal in various forms. It's kind of like he’s feeling out the form, trying it this way and that, searching for the essence of a seahorse. I know that feeling well. You begin, make a mistake, start again. I often wonder what artists are thinking when they make these sketches. Is it about accuracy? Is it about capturing an elusive quality? What does it feel like to be inside their head, watching this thing unfold? Gestural marks like these invite us into the intimate space of their studio. They invite us to think, feel, and look at the world in new ways. It's like Dijsselhof is whispering across time, "Hey, try this." And we, in turn, are inspired to pick up our own pencils and join the conversation.