Whirligig 1935 - 1942

This watercolor and graphite drawing called Whirligig was made by an anonymous artist. It feels like the artist was trying to capture the essence of movement. It's all about the build-up of color, light, and shadow which come together to describe form. Look at how the artist uses graphite to lightly render a ghost image, a shadow of the figure, just to the right. It suggests a kind of echo or afterimage, a trace of something that’s been there. I love the subtle variations in tone, the way the blues and reds of the figure contrast with the neutral ground. It’s almost as if the figure is emerging from the ground or sinking back into it. The whole thing reminds me a bit of Red Grooms, who makes art out of everyday objects, and it feels like there's a connection to the tradition of folk art, where materials are used in unexpected ways. It's a reminder that art is about process, experimentation, and finding new ways to see the world around us.