Study for "Avenger" 1957

Seymour Lipton made this drawing, "Study for 'Avenger'", with a pencil on paper. Look at the way Lipton applied the graphite, with all these hatching lines. You can see where he's built up tone by layering them over and over, creating a sense of volume. It reminds me of some of the heavy metal sculptures he was making. It’s like he’s thinking through form and space, trying to capture a sense of dynamic tension. I can imagine him, charcoal dust all over his fingers, squinting, stepping back, then diving back in, those rhythmic strokes, each one adding to the overall structure, building a kind of emotional armor. It’s wild how artists keep up this conversation with each other, even across time. I mean, I’m looking at this drawing, and I’m thinking about my own studio practice. What I like about making paintings is that it isn't about finding one right answer. It's about the messy, beautiful process of discovery.