Rag Doll c. 1937

Verna Tallman made this watercolour drawing of rag dolls, sometime in the 20th century. The dolls are in a state of suspended animation. The dolls, with their peculiar expressions, have a stage presence, right? Look at the textures and thin washes, the attention to detail, and how the colours mingle, creating unexpected effects. The rosy shirts and green trousers give a sense of a folk tradition but also a modern sensibility to colour relationships. I wonder if Tallman was thinking about the stage, about puppet theatre, or if she was lost in thought about what an image can do? It's like she's having a conversation with herself and with other artists across time, isn't it? Exploring the ambiguity that painting offers. I love to see how one image seems to generate another, as each artist embraces that kind of uncertainty and keeps the conversation flowing.