My Wife Sally 1934

Milton Avery made this etching, My Wife Sally, in 1934 using a black ink. The all-over mark-making makes me think about the way that a painter builds up layers and textures. It's not just about making a picture, but about building a world. Look closely, and you'll see how the lines create volume and shadow. The hatching is almost obsessive. It gives the surface a tactile quality. Take Sally’s face, for example, made up of these dense, tiny marks – almost like a field of energy. There's a real tenderness in the way he renders the scene. Avery’s pared down approach reminds me of Matisse, the way he could suggest so much with so little. Like all great art, it’s not just about what you see, but how it makes you feel. It's an invitation to slow down, to contemplate, and to find beauty in the everyday.