Foot Scraper 1939

This is Ralph Atkinson's Foot Scraper, made with an unknown medium on paper. The palette is muted, almost monochromatic, focusing on greys and browns, with a highlight of a creamy yellow. It reminds me that artmaking is a process of discovery, where materials and techniques guide the way. The texture in this image is so interesting, isn't it? The foot scraper itself, rendered in shades of grey, looks rough and aged, like it has been sitting outside for a very long time. But then there's this strange glow of warm colour, where the missing panel should be. I'm fascinated by the way the artist uses colour to draw attention to absence and create a focal point within the otherwise muted tones. Atkinson's image shares something with the work of outsider artists like James Castle, who often use found materials and limited palettes to create worlds of imagination. But ultimately art is about opening up space for interpretation, isn't it?