Apple 1911

Edwin Dickinson made this still life in oil, working in shades of grey to bring out the luster of the objects. I can almost imagine Dickinson there, squinting at the bottle, the apple, and the bowl, moving them around to get the composition just right. His dark marks seek out and follow the edges of things, giving them form. See how the heavy dark outline around the bowl gives it weight, but also flattens it against the background, like an essay on shape and form. You can see him thinking about the material aspects of paint. He's laying it on thinly, letting the brushstrokes describe the surfaces and contours of the forms. That little apple, off to the side, it's not just an apple, is it? It's a stand-in for all the little things, the ordinary things, that make up our lives. And the bowl, maybe that's like a vessel for all the stuff we carry around with us. We artists are always chatting to each other, from across time. The dialogue between us keeps painting alive. We take turns listening and responding. Who knows what Edwin would have made of my work, but I sure am glad he made this.