Jointed Wooden Dolls c. 1936

Jane Iverson made this drawing of Jointed Wooden Dolls, and it's like she's inviting us into her workshop, or maybe her memory. The way she's rendered them is so straightforward and loving, the colours are gentle, like old wood warmed by the sun. Look at the texture she's created, especially on the largest doll; you can almost feel the grain of the wood, and the way the light catches the surface. It's not about hiding the process, but celebrating the materiality of these objects. The dolls are stiff, captured in a simple, yet elegant style. Iverson's work here reminds me a little bit of the drawings of Bill Traylor. There's something so appealing about folk art, it isn't trying to be slick or impressive, it's just sharing a vision, plainly and honestly. Like a conversation between friends, where the real value is in the exchange, not the performance.