Hands c. 1954

This print, “Hands,” was made by Billy Morrow Jackson; it's a little puzzle made with ink on paper. The marks are so direct, so un-fussy, like Jackson was thinking out loud with his pen. Look at the hand at the bottom holding a stick that sprouts into rays; it's so awkward and charming. The lines are uneven, and the shapes are more felt than observed. It reminds me of Cy Twombly’s scribbles, how a simple line can be so full of energy and feeling. There's something deeply human about these imperfect marks, the way they capture the essence of a hand without getting bogged down in detail. It's not about showing off skill; it's about the raw, unfiltered expression of an idea. I love that Jackson lets the process be visible, like a conversation between the artist and the paper. It feels like an intimate glimpse into Jackson's mind, a space where seeing and thinking become one.