Puppet with Opera Glass c. 1937

Verna Tallman made this watercolor, "Puppet with Opera Glass," sometime in the 20th century, and the way she handles the paint feels very much like a process of playful exploration. Look at the puppet’s red jacket. See how the color is laid down in thin, washy layers, almost transparent in places? It gives the whole piece a kind of lightness, even though the puppet’s face is rather severe! There's something about the way the red bleeds and blends that makes the image feel alive, like Tallman was letting the paint do its own thing. Then there’s that tiny, second puppet floating up in the corner. It’s as if Tallman was considering how this character might appear in motion. This piece reminds me a little of Red Grooms, another artist who loves to play with figuration, color and narrative. With both artists, you get the sense that art is a continuous conversation, full of experimentation and open to many possibilities.