Wendy with Chin on Hand 1982

George Segal made this plaster sculpture, "Wendy with Chin on Hand", and the thing that strikes me is the immediacy of it. You can really see the artist's hand, how the sculpture came into being through the process of adding and taking away. I imagine Segal, coaxing this form out of raw material, maybe thinking about Rodin, but also about the everyday. The plaster is thick, almost viscous in places, catching the light and throwing shadows that give Wendy a real presence. Look at the gesture of the hand supporting the chin – it’s so human, so full of contemplation. You can almost feel the weight of her thoughts. Segal's sculptures often capture these kinds of quiet, introspective moments. Like a painter mixing colors, he’s using the texture and form to communicate something deeper. It's a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation, where each artist builds on the ideas of those who came before, finding their own way to express the messy, beautiful reality of being alive.