Cattle Brand c. 1936

J. Henry Marley made this drawing of a Cattle Brand sometime during his long life. It looks like it was made with a thick marker pen. It’s so simple, but the graphic quality is really striking. I’m drawn to the way the black ink sits on the page, slightly transparent in some areas, thicker in others. You can really see the hand in it. There’s a wobble and an unevenness that gives it a real personality. Look at the top of the ‘R’ for example. It’s not a perfect shape, but that’s what makes it interesting. It feels direct and honest, more about communicating an idea than showing off any kind of skill. I’m reminded of work by Alfred Jensen, who also used simple graphic forms to convey complex ideas. In the end, art is a conversation, a way of sharing ideas and experiences across time. It's often less about what things are, and more about what they could be.