The Sad Girl (Kathleen Kearney) 1923

Sarah Purser painted this oil sketch of Kathleen Kearney, entitled The Sad Girl, with loose brushwork and a warm palette. I love the directness of the brushstrokes, they build up form but also seem to dissolve it, especially around the edges of her face and hair. The paint feels creamy and workable, not too thick, not too thin. Look at the way Purser has captured the light on Kathleen's cheek with soft pinks and yellows. It’s interesting how the blue accents, particularly around the hair, create a certain mood – melancholic, as the title suggests. That single stroke of white paint along her collarbone is so decisive, it gives structure to the whole piece. The way she uses these deliberate marks reminds me of Manet, who also wasn’t afraid to leave the evidence of his process right there on the canvas. Art is a conversation, after all. A painting is never really finished, it’s just abandoned at a certain point.