15142 (_In front of the alcove …_) 1931

This whimsical drawing, 15142 (_In front of the alcove …_), by John Elsas is full of light. It makes me think about folk art and outsider art practices, and how a lot of artists, myself included, start out not really knowing what we are doing, and in a way, we never really know, but that’s ok. I love the directness of the image and the kind of wonky, but somehow, elegant, feel. Elsas's colors are gorgeous – that soft green overcoat and the way it contrasts with the grey legs. It's all so simple but feels so right! You can imagine the artist just going for it, not worrying too much about getting things perfect, just having fun and experimenting with shapes and colours. I wonder what kind of conversations Elsas was having with himself, and with other art, at the time? And that’s what making art is all about, responding to the world, adding your voice, and keeping the conversation going.