Torch 1938

Thomas Dooley made this drawing of a Torch with graphite and watercolor, and what strikes me is its moody, almost monochromatic palette. It’s a reminder that artmaking is always a process of reduction and translation, not just a copy of what’s already there. The surface is alive with subtle gradations, the kind you get when watercolor bleeds and settles. Dooley really coaxes the light out of the darks of the metal, giving it a worn, tactile presence. Look closely at the body of the torch; you can almost feel the cool smoothness of the metal, pitted and marked with use. Dooley's approach reminds me a bit of Giorgio Morandi, in his humble focus and quiet attention to everyday objects. Both artists invite us to look deeper, to find beauty and meaning in the mundane. It all makes you think about how seeing is never just seeing - it's a way of feeling and thinking, too.