St. Martin's Eye of the Road 1976

Betty Parsons made "St. Martin's Eye of the Road" with painted wood, piecing together a totem of found materials, and the making feels like a conversation. I love the way the textures work together, that weathered wood against the smooth paint. Parsons doesn’t hide the physicality of her materials; you can see the grain of the wood, the drips of paint. Look at the squares of colour carefully placed on each of the wooden blocks, like a visual echo, creating a rhythm that guides your eye up and down the sculpture. The colours aren't perfect, though, they bleed out from the confines of their border, like they have a mind of their own. This piece reminds me of the work of Forrest Bess. Like Bess, Parsons embraces the imperfect, finding beauty in the everyday, and inviting us to see the world with fresh eyes.