Twee molens 1910 - 1917

This is a double-page spread of sketches by Alexander Shilling, just the barest whisper of graphite on paper, capturing two scenes, maybe in one location, maybe not. Look at how the graphite catches the light on the page, how wispy the lines are, barely there. But they're enough. See how Shilling builds the windmills on the right, stacking lines like he's building a house of cards? There's a lightness, a quickness, that suggests he's trying to capture a fleeting moment. I love the way the sketch on the left is so much more loose, like he's trying to capture a feeling rather than a thing. It makes me think of Cy Twombly, scribbling away at history and memory. Both artists remind us that drawing can be a form of thinking, a way of feeling the world. It's not about getting it right, but about being present.