Cigar Store Figure c. 1937

Eugene Croe gave us this cigar store figure with watercolor and graphite on paper. Just imagine the layering of thin washes, each stroke building up this character, one decision at a time. The way Croe built up the figure, so rigid and upright. What was he thinking as he painted this character? Was he capturing someone he saw? Or was he creating someone entirely new? The red lines of the trousers feel so sure. It makes me think about what it means to stand tall, to be a figure of authority, but also to maybe be a little bit of a caricature. You know, painting for me is a way of asking questions without necessarily seeking answers, and it's this constant back and forth that keeps things interesting. Artists are always riffing off each other, even across time. We’re all just trying to make sense of the world, one brushstroke at a time.