Untitled c. 1963

George Bunker made this untitled drawing with what looks like pastel or wax crayon on paper. It’s a jumble of marks, but a jumble that feels considered, like someone thinking aloud with color and line. I love how the different colors bump up against each other, making the whole thing vibrate. Look at the way Bunker uses these blues, greens, purples, and browns, layering them to create depth and movement. It’s like a garden or forest, but also a map of someone’s feelings. Notice the raw, unblended quality of the marks. See how the pastel sits right on the surface? It’s immediate, like a burst of energy. For me, it’s reminiscent of Guston’s later works, those messy, cartoonish paintings that are so full of feeling. Both artists seem to say, ‘let’s embrace the awkwardness and see where it takes us.’ It’s not about perfection, but about the process, the search, and the sheer joy of making.