At the well 1901

Ivan Bilibin created "At The Well" using ink and watercolour, and there's something about it that feels like it just *emerged* from the page, as if he didn't quite know what he was doing until it was done. I can almost feel him there, bending over his drawing, squinting and tilting his head. Did he start with the figure, or did he sketch the landscape first and then plop her in? I'm curious about that red scarf. It's such a vibrant pop of color against the earthy tones. What does it *mean*? And that blank space, those sunflowers, those mushrooms! This image reminds me of a page from a children's book, but also a poster, or even an ornate letterhead. Bilibin plays with the flattening of space. We artists are all having a conversation, building on each other's thoughts, and trying to suss out, through shapes and colors, something new and true. And each new brushstroke helps lead us down a path that is never quite set.