Lovers 1933

Beatrice Wood made this drawing, Lovers, with graphite on paper. Look at these flowing lines – so economical, but full of feeling. I like to think about how the artist moved when she made this. Did she start with the head and then let the line wander down the body? Was she thinking about Brancusi? I bet she knew his sculptures. There’s something so tender, so vulnerable, in the way these two figures lean into each other, and it's all done with a few strokes. That must have taken courage – to say so much with so little. It’s like a whisper, but it stays with you. Painters, we’re always looking at each other’s work, borrowing, stealing, arguing. It's one big conversation across time. And a drawing like this reminds me why I love making marks – it’s not about perfection; it’s about feeling your way through the dark, hoping to catch a little light.