Untitled 1935

Morris Graves created this untitled painting using oil on canvas. The thick impasto of paint is immediately apparent. Note how Graves's application of the paint lends a tactile quality to the image, giving weight and volume to the still life arrangement. Graves's distinctive style captures the essence of the Pacific Northwest's natural beauty, inviting viewers to connect with the profound depths of the environment through his gestural brushstrokes. His choice of materials, oil paint, canvas, is traditional to fine art. However, Graves engages these materials to create a work that feels closer to the raw and immediate qualities of lived experience. Through his painterly technique and material sensibility, Graves encourages us to look closely and appreciate the humble materials that make up our world. This approach to art making challenges traditional notions about high art and craft.