Mechanical Toy c. 1939

Gwendolyn Jackson made this drawing of a Mechanical Toy, but the date is unknown, so we can really let our imaginations take the reins. The off-white background and simplified lines of the horse give the picture a dreamlike quality. Look at the way Jackson uses the watercolor. It's thin and transparent. The shapes are built with layers, adding depth and richness. It gives a sense of the horse and rider as slightly faded, like an old photograph found in an attic. I'm drawn to the way the horse's legs are formed of single strokes. It's as though she is trying to evoke the idea of a mechanical toy, rather than make a realistic image of one. This piece reminds me of the work of Bill Traylor, another artist who used simple materials and forms to create powerful, evocative images. Like Traylor, Jackson embraces the ambiguity of art, leaving space for viewers to bring their own experiences and interpretations to the work.