Tree 1940

This charcoal drawing of a tree in front of houses was made by Lucy B. L'Engle in 1940. I can imagine Lucy sitting outside with her pad, thinking, "How am I going to pull this off?" I love the bold lines of the tree trunk which dominate the composition, as if the artist wants us to feel the tree's strength and presence. The texture created by the charcoal gives the tree bark a tangible, almost tactile quality, inviting us to reach out and touch it. And the light and shadow! See how they play across the surface, defining form and space in a really graphic way? But look closer—the houses in the background are dwarfed by the tree. Is she saying something about nature's power over the built environment? Or maybe just playing with perspective and scale for the fun of it. Drawing can be like that, a kind of conversation with the world, full of questions and possibilities.