Untitled (Reclining nude with small dog) c. 1932

Joe Jones made this lithograph, Untitled (Reclining nude with small dog), and it's a reminder that artmaking is a process of revelation. The way the light falls across the body and the hatching around the forms show the hand of the artist at work. There's something so tactile about the marks here. Look at the way Jones uses short, deliberate lines to define the contours of the reclining nude. The hatching creates a kind of vibration, making the figure feel alive and present. Then there’s that sweet little dog. I love how the light seems to emanate from the nude's skin, creating a soft glow around her form. It’s as if she's both solid and ethereal at the same time. This reminds me of some of Philip Guston's lithographs, with their emphasis on line and form. But where Guston's work is often fraught with tension, Jones' lithograph exudes a sense of calm and serenity. It shows how art embraces ambiguity, offering us a space for contemplation and reflection, rather than fixed meanings.