Children in a village backyard 1926

Tadeusz Makowski made this painting of children in a village backyard with what looks like muted colours and a sort of naive approach. It's like he’s figuring it out as he goes along, which is what painting is all about, right? I’m really drawn to the way Makowski handles paint here. Look at the surface; it's not trying to trick you into thinking it's anything other than what it is, paint on canvas. It's honest. You can see the brushstrokes, the way the colors blend and separate. The figures feel solid, sculptural almost, built up with layers of paint. There is one figure, a small child, who seems to be supporting another, older child; this little ghost seems to be fading in and out of the picture plane. Makowski reminds me of someone like Milton Avery. Both artists aren't afraid to embrace simplicity, to pare things down to their essence. Both of them were committed to exploration and experimentation. For me, this piece is a reminder that art is never really finished; it's just a moment in an ongoing conversation.