Doll c. 1937

Verna Tallman made this drawing of a doll, its costume and another, in watercolor on paper. I love the way she uses a limited palette of gray and plum, with touches of blue and gold, to create a sense of depth and texture. The dress is rendered with delicate washes, almost translucent, while the face of the doll is more opaque, with a slightly unsettling expression. Look at the way Tallman applies the watercolor, the texture of the paper still visible beneath the thin layers of pigment. There's a lightness and fluidity to her touch, a sense of capturing the essence of the doll rather than striving for photographic realism. It reminds me a little of Florine Stettheimer, another artist who found beauty in the everyday and wasn't afraid to embrace a sense of whimsy in her work. Ultimately, it's a reminder that art is not about perfection, but about the artist's unique way of seeing and interpreting the world.