Cross heart 

Editor: Here we have Sue Coe's drawing, "Cross heart," rendered in charcoal. Its stark contrasts immediately evoke a sense of unease, bordering on horror. What strikes you most about the composition? Curator: The effectiveness of Coe's drawing lies precisely in her strategic deployment of contrasting tones. Notice the almost clinical rendering of the dissected animal specimen versus the sketchy, emotionally charged depiction of figures in the doorway. It is not about accurate description, but in the interplay between these differing modes. Editor: So, you are saying it is less about the explicit subject matter and more about how she uses visual language? The textures, the contrasting values, create the overall effect. Curator: Precisely. Note the way the light falls, almost surgically, on the dissection table, drawing our eyes to that point first, while the figures in the background, though central, remain comparatively muted, suggesting an emotional detachment. This highlights a fundamental tension. The stark detail creates visual and psychological disquiet. Do you find the text below enhances this experience? Editor: Definitely! It amplifies the feeling. The child's rhyme, "Cross your heart and hope to die," is chilling in this context. So, what have I learned? It's not just *what* is drawn, but *how* the artist uses formal elements like line, contrast, and texture that dictates its emotional impact. Curator: Exactly. And it's through that calculated interplay that Coe forces us to confront uncomfortable truths. A valuable lesson indeed.