Side View of Blanket Chest c. 1936

This is a watercolor and graphite drawing of a blanket chest by Martin Partyka. The drawing has these lovely, delicate light washes of earth tones. I can almost feel the artist bending over their paper, their hand moving delicately to render the form. Imagine, Partyka is trying to capture something solid and real, something that exists in three dimensions, onto a flat surface. There’s a softness in the way he outlines and shades the object. I’m thinking how drawing is an act of translation, right? It's about taking something from the world and turning it into something else, through your own way of seeing, your own hand. It is a tender and intimate form of knowledge. It reminds me of the work of other artists who were also interested in this translation, like Fairfield Porter. It's an ongoing conversation, these artists talking to each other across time, inspiring each other. It feels like they’re inviting me into a shared space of looking and feeling.