Winged Figure 1920

Rose O’Neill made this dreamy ink drawing called Winged Figure with a confident hand. See how she lets the lines build up to create shadows and texture? It’s like she’s not afraid to let the process show, which I always appreciate. I love the way the ink creates depth and mood. The figure almost seems to be emerging from the page, like it's made of pure thought. O’Neill uses these tiny, intricate lines to make the wings so detailed, it gives a sense of weight, but also delicacy. Then there are the trees, which have this kind of sad, gothic quality. It reminds me of the drawings of someone like Alfred Kubin, who was also into exploring the weirder side of the psyche. You can tell O’Neill had a strong vision, but she also let the materials do their thing. It’s a reminder that art is a conversation, a back-and-forth between the artist and the medium.