Untitled [seated nude with her leg pulled into an armchair] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this drawing of a seated nude, probably in his studio, with charcoal on paper. Look at the economy of strokes, how they suggest form and volume without being overly descriptive. I imagine Diebenkorn quickly capturing the essence of the figure, his hand moving swiftly across the page. The lines are confident, yet they retain a sense of searching, as if he's trying to find the perfect contour with each stroke. See that energetic scribble around her head? It reminds me of my own process of layering and revising in my paintings. You can see the influence of artists like Matisse in the simplicity of line and emphasis on shape. Diebenkorn was clearly in conversation with the masters, reinterpreting their ideas in his own unique way. It reminds me that we're all part of an ongoing dialogue, constantly borrowing and transforming each other’s ideas, and creating something new.