Decoy c. 1940

Franklyn Syres made this painting, Decoy, with what looks like watercolor on paper. I love the simplicity of this bird, perched on a stick, a decoy in the landscape. I'm imagining Syres, out in nature, maybe he's seeing similar birds, trying to capture their essence with a brush. There's something so direct about the marks – the dark strokes defining the body, the softer washes creating those mottled patterns on its back. It’s not just a depiction, it feels like a meditation on form, color, and, dare I say, the very idea of ‘birdness.’ The paint looks really thin; it’s not about texture. It's more about the way these washes interact, creating depth and volume with minimal means. It reminds me of the work of other painters interested in folk art, how they find beauty in humble objects and everyday scenes. Syres is part of this ongoing exchange, interpreting and reinterpreting the world. Decoy becomes more than just an image, it's an open-ended conversation between the artist, the subject, and us, the viewers.