Studies 1906 - 1945

Reijer Stolk made these 'Studies' with pen and ink on paper, and it's all about process. He's feeling his way through these shapes, seeing how they relate. The pen line is so immediate, like a thought caught in the act. It's not trying to be perfect or polished, but rather revealing the raw energy of the hand moving across the page, adjusting and correcting. I love how the ink sits on the surface, sometimes thick, sometimes thin, creating these little variations in tone and texture. Look at the angled shading in the square in the middle, those parallel lines give the sense of volume. It reminds me of Twombly's sketches, the way he used line to create these ethereal, almost dreamlike compositions. Stolk invites us to embrace the beauty of imperfection, to see the potential in every mark.