Studio Interior 1932

Miriam McKinnie's “Studio Interior” is a scene rendered in charcoal on paper, and it feels like a peek into a private world. I’m drawn to the textures she coaxes from the charcoal, from the soft, smudgy shadows to the sharp, insistent lines that define the window frame. Look at the way the light filters in, creating a soft glow around the edges of things. It’s like she’s not just showing us what's there, but also how it feels to be there, in that quiet, creative space. The perspective seems ever so slightly skewed, making the space feel intimate and a little off-kilter. McKinnie's image has the kind of awkward intimacy that I find so compelling in the work of Alice Neel. Both artists share an interest in the real, lived experience, embracing imperfections and quirks rather than striving for an idealized image. In the end, the realness in this work is compelling.