Drawing for Plate 10: From the Portfolio "Folk Art of Rural Pennsylvania" c. 1939

This drawing of Pennsylvania folk art, made by an anonymous artist, presents three birds stacked on top of each other with an earthy palette of reds, greens, and browns. The flat shapes remind me of a collage, each bird a careful arrangement of forms. Looking closer, the texture is smooth, almost like gouache. It’s amazing how the artist creates such distinct characters using simple shapes and colors. The middle bird with its long tail made of straight lines is particularly striking. It's a masterclass in using geometry to create something lively. This piece reminds me of the work of Charley Harper, who also distilled the natural world into these geometric shapes. It’s all part of this ongoing conversation, and a testament to the power of seeing the world in new ways.