Basket Method c. 1940s

Merritt Mauzey's 'Basket Method' uses graphite on paper to capture a scene of labor and life. The artist uses densely layered marks to build form, light, and texture. Looking at this, I think about the careful, repetitive process Mauzey must have used. Each stroke, each tiny gradation, contributes to the whole. I think the way he built up the tones in the sky is so sensitive. It reminds me of drawing in my studio, how I’m always trying to figure out what is in front of me. I wonder if he also feels like he is looking for something, trying to find a way to describe the world as he sees it. There’s a relationship here between representation and abstraction, and the way the figures are rendered is so interesting. I think about someone like Jacob Lawrence, how the history of painting evolves as artists respond to one another. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that painting and drawing are ongoing dialogues. There is no right or wrong way, just a continuous exploration of what it means to create.