Taos Plains 1937

Arthur George Murphy made this drawing of Taos Plains, on paper, with what looks like graphite. I love how the clouds take up so much of the composition; the landscape is almost secondary, yet the title tells us it's all about the land. The overall texture is smooth, almost velvety, created by layering and blending the graphite. The soft gradations of tone, from light to dark, build a sense of depth and atmosphere. Notice that the clouds aren't sharply defined; they have blurred edges, making them feel airy and ephemeral. See how the artist has distributed a sprinkling of dark marks along the horizon line, which I take to be cattle, or maybe horses? The piece reminds me of Vija Celmins' meticulous drawings of the night sky. Like Celmins, Murphy embraces a limited palette to create a vast, contemplative space. It is a reminder that art is a conversation, an ongoing exploration of seeing and being in the world.