Wax Doll c. 1936

Mary E. Humes made this portrait of a wax doll using watercolor and graphite on paper. I’m just imagining her, sitting and painting, carefully building up the washes of color to describe the sheen of the wax and the ruffles of the doll’s dress. It is tempting to bring a heavy load of assumptions when looking at the artwork of women artists, particularly when they create images of domestic life. But here I try to stay with Humes and imagine what it was like for her to make this lovely, compelling image. The thinness of the paint gives the surface a delicate, almost ethereal quality. The simple gesture of the red ribbon, repeated around the doll's dress and shoes, adds a touch of whimsy. I think this is a reminder that art is about connection, an ongoing conversation between artists across time and space, each one inspiring and building upon the creativity of those who came before. It is a process, a way of thinking and seeing that embraces ambiguity and allows for multiple interpretations, always changing.