Making a Cigarette 1911

This is a drawing of a cowboy making a cigarette by Charles M. Russell. The drawing is made of many scribbled marks that fill the paper. I like the idea of making a cigarette. The idea of taking a break and enjoying the space around you is palpable in the image. I can imagine Russell creating this drawing. Maybe he was outside in the sun feeling the heat, thinking about the cowboys and their lives. He must have considered how they spent all their time outside, working with the land and animals, and how different that life was from his own. The image feels very natural and fluid. The way the lasso hangs over the arm feels true to how it would really hang. The gesture of the hand making the cigarette is specific, as if Russell himself was familiar with the activity. Russell is in conversation with other artists that capture moments in time. He creates an environment that resonates with history and feeling. He reminds us that there is always a story being told, a moment that has gone into the making of an image.