New Mexico Graveyard c. 1952

Veronica Helfensteller made this drawing of a graveyard in New Mexico with graphite on paper. It's all about marks, isn't it? Thousands of tiny, controlled marks, hatched and cross-hatched, building up to a scene that feels both meticulously observed and deeply felt. Look at the way she renders the wooden crosses and fences. Each mark is laid down with an even pressure, creating a soft, almost velvety texture. The leaning cross in the foreground – notice how its edges are defined by dense areas of shading, giving it a real weight and presence. The texture of the grass is made with lots of small, scribbled lines, which makes it feel kind of prickly and untamed. The way Helfensteller uses tone is what really gets me. She creates depth and atmosphere through subtle shifts in value, layering the graphite to create a sense of light and shadow that is really effective. It makes me think of Agnes Martin, with its quiet intensity and obsessive mark-making. This piece invites us to slow down, to really look, and to appreciate the beauty in the everyday.