Spur c. 1938

Verna Tallman made this watercolor painting of a spur. It's hard to say exactly when, but her approach to mark-making feels immediate, intuitive – rooted in the act of seeing and responding. The overall color palette is muted, dominated by earth tones. But look closer, and you'll notice the way Tallman layers and blends these tones, creating subtle shifts in texture and depth. The paint is applied in thin washes, allowing the surface of the paper to peek through. There are some darker marks and flecks of brown. The way the pigment settles into the paper gives the artwork an aged quality. The chains hanging off the centre have been described with a meticulous attention to detail, each link rendered with precision. Looking at this work, I’m reminded of Agnes Martin – both artists embrace the power of simplicity and restraint, creating works that invite contemplation and slow looking. And in both cases, it feels like we are only catching a glimpse of a wider story.