Untitled Drawing 2002

Basil Beattie made this untitled drawing with ink on paper. What strikes me is the directness, the way the forms feel almost architectural, as if you were building something. See how the ink isn’t trying to be precious? It's laid down with a kind of rough honesty, like he's not trying to hide the process. I really love the contrast between the angular grid on the left and the rounded, almost stacked forms on the right. It's like a conversation between different ways of seeing and making. The ink is thick, almost crusty in places. Notice the drips and the smudges? It all adds to that feeling of immediacy. It's like you can see Beattie's hand moving across the paper, figuring it out as he goes. It reminds me a bit of Guston, that same willingness to embrace the awkward. It’s a good reminder that art isn't about perfection. It's about exploration and embracing the unexpected.