Kop van een papegaai met kuif 1940

Otto Verhagen made this drawing of a parrot's head in a sketchbook, and in pencil, which is cool. I wonder how long he watched it? I'm thinking a lot about observation here. You know, looking hard is actually a way of thinking. I love the way the dark pencil marks build up the volume of the bird's head. They almost remind me of Philip Guston's drawings – but softer, lighter. I can imagine Verhagen, his eyes moving back and forth from the parrot to the page, as he builds up these dark, feathery, marks that evoke its character. Painting and drawing are about seeing; an exchange of ideas across time, inspiring creativity. The softness of the parrot's plumage, the texture of its beak, all captured with such tenderness and attention.