Trapper Indian 1937

Al Curry made this watercolor and graphite painting of a 'Trapper Indian,' and it's got such a particular feel. I can see how the blues and browns have been carefully laid down, building this figure from the ground up. It’s like Curry was trying to conjure up a person, thinking about the weight of the wood, the texture of the clothes, and the overall sense of place. I imagine him stepping back, squinting, and adding those small details that bring everything to life. Did he layer the paint to give a sense of depth? There’s a vulnerability in this work, a searching. It reminds me of other artists working in the folk art tradition. It’s like they're all speaking to each other across time, in this amazing, ongoing conversation of making. This piece is special. It has a tender kind of feeling, like the artist cared about capturing something real.