Bonnet c. 1936

Roberta Spicer made this drawing of a Bonnet at an unknown date with graphite on paper. Looking at this piece, the mark-making feels so deliberate, like a quiet conversation between Spicer and the bonnet itself. The graphite has this incredible range, from barely-there whispers to solid, confident lines. It’s like she’s feeling out the form, getting to know the texture and weight of the bonnet through her pencil. I love how she captures the frills; each one has its own little dance of light and shadow. There’s one spot where the graphite is really built up, near the top of the larger bonnet, and it gives the whole piece an anchor, a place for your eye to rest. It reminds me a little of Agnes Martin, in the sense of repetition and the kind of meditative quality that emerges. Ultimately, art is about seeing and feeling, and Spicer invites us to do both.