Santos Retablos 1936

Maude Valle made this Santos Retablos. The washes of brown and pink watercolour feel so intimate and immediate, you get the sense of her right there in front of you, figuring it out as she goes. Up close, you can see the watercolour is applied in thin, transparent layers, letting the paper breathe through. It’s this lightness that gives the piece its delicate quality, like a memory or a dream, especially around the halo. But the artist is not afraid to commit, deepening the lines of the figure's face with bold strokes. Look how the brown ink bleeds slightly into the surrounding paper, softening the edges and creating a hazy effect, like the light is diffusing around him. The red dashes give the picture energy, and almost feel accidental, like she wiped the brush there! Valle's raw and honest approach reminds me of Forrest Bess, another outsider artist who wasn't afraid to embrace the unexpected. Both invite us to see the world through their unique lenses, where beauty lies in the imperfections.