Virginia Landscape 1944

Arshile Gorky made this drawing, Virginia Landscape, with pencil and crayon. It's so light, so airy, it feels like he barely touched the paper at all. I can imagine Gorky's hand moving across the surface, searching for forms, letting the lines emerge almost unconsciously. See how the shapes seem to float, connected by these delicate, meandering lines? They're like thoughts, trailing off in different directions, never quite resolving into a clear picture. There's a red slash here, a yellow streak there, just enough color to hint at something more, something just beyond our grasp. It reminds me of my own process, how a painting can start as a feeling, a vague idea that slowly takes shape through layers of marks and colors. Gorky’s like a jazz musician riffing on a theme, improvising, and letting the music take him where it will. What a beautiful, open way to work.