Bomen zonder blad 1939 - 2009

Kees Stoop made this drawing, "Bomen zonder blad," which translates to "Trees Without Leaves," with pencil on paper. Look closely at the repetitive marks, a whole vocabulary of short lines and scribbles densely layered to create a vision of trees in winter, maybe? I can imagine Stoop outside in the cold, rapidly working to capture the spindly tangle of branches. See how each mark seems to suggest not just the physical presence of the trees, but also a feeling of barrenness and quiet stillness. The texture is built up through countless individual strokes, a real testament to the artist's hand and the time spent observing. It reminds me of other artists who are obsessed with nature, like Agnes Martin or Philip Guston, each in their own way getting down into the nitty-gritty of what it means to see. These drawings are evidence of a conversation between artists across time, each inspiring and challenging the other. There is so much we can learn from this simple, direct way of expressing what it means to be in the world.