Three Birds 1952

Milton Avery made this print of three birds in flight using simple shapes and high contrast. It’s like he's saying, "Here’s how I see these birds, not as they are, but as I feel them." Look at the way he carved the lines around the birds, giving them a kind of graphic energy. The texture feels rough and immediate, like you could reach out and feel the marks of the tool on the block. The negative space around them isn't just emptiness; it has a life of its own. Avery’s simplified forms remind me of Matisse, both artists understood the power of reduction, stripping away details to get to the essence. Avery's work always feels so personal, so intuitive. He's not just showing us what he sees, but how he sees, inviting us to see the world with the same kind of openness and joy. It's a reminder that art isn't about perfection, but about process, about the journey of making and seeing.