Cast Iron Dobbie c. 1936

Rex F. Bush painted "Cast Iron Dobbie" with what looks like gouache on paper. The colors are really muted; like faded memories. The blues and yellows feel almost pastel. It gives the whole piece a kind of soft focus, like looking at something through a vintage lens. It's pretty flat, without a lot of depth, which makes it feel like a sign, or a flattened memory. The rendering of the figure is, well, I want to say awkward. The flatness of the body contrasts with the rendering of the face. The body appears as a cut out, while the face seems to be made of paint and emotion. The red bow tie provides a little jolt amidst the calm. It pulls your eye, doesn't it? It stops you from feeling too comfortable, reminding you that art doesn't have to be perfect to be powerful, or to speak to the messiness of being human. I am reminded of the work of Philip Guston. Both artists, in their own way, remind us that art is a conversation, not a lecture.