"Sinbad" Marionette c. 1938

George File created this "Sinbad" Marionette drawing with watercolor and graphite, and it's got a real homemade feel, doesn’t it? It's as if File wasn't trying to nail perfection, but rather, just letting the colors and lines play out. I'm particularly drawn to the way the red of his pants pools and gathers, almost like they're still wet. You can practically feel the give and take of the brush on the paper. It's not about hiding the process, but showing it off, with all its little imperfections and happy accidents. The sketchy lines around his face give him a lively, almost mischievous air, like he's about to jump off the page and start dancing. There’s something about this drawing that reminds me of Red Grooms, who was working around the same time; both artists share that folk-art sensibility, a sense of joy and playful experimentation. You know, art isn't always about having all the answers, sometimes it's more interesting to embrace the questions.