Girl with a Curl Possibly 1906

Augustus John made this print, Girl with a Curl, and what strikes me is the restless energy in every little hatched mark that makes up the image. It’s like he's trying to capture a fleeting thought. See how the lines dance and vibrate, suggesting texture and form, from the girl's furry hat to the way her dark clothing hugs her. It’s all about the process, the act of making, of getting something down quickly before it disappears. Look closely at the curl in the title. The way the etched line loops and spirals. There is such an economy of means, such assurance in its execution, the whole piece has a breezy, insouciant, attitude to life. John's work reminds me of a more bohemian, raffish version of his contemporary Walter Sickert. Both artists share a love of capturing the everyday, imbuing their subjects with a kind of quiet dignity and charm. Art is a conversation, always echoing and responding, offering us new ways to see and feel.