Figurehead: "Emma" c. 1938

Molly Bodenstein made this watercolor on paper, "Figurehead: 'Emma.'" Look at the blues and reds, how they seem to bleed into each other, creating these watery layers. I can imagine Molly, leaning over this piece, trying to capture the essence of the original carved figurehead. I wonder if she felt like she was bringing 'Emma' back to life, in a way. I mean, think about it: the texture of the paper, the way the colors shift and change depending on how much water she used—each mark is a decision, a negotiation between control and chance. Bodenstein really manages to evoke the textures of painted wood. What a gesture to paint another artist's work. It reminds me of other painters who've been inspired by folk art, like Marsden Hartley or even some of the early modernists. There's this sense of connection, this ongoing conversation across time. We keep remixing and reinterpreting, finding new ways to see and feel the world around us.