Dove c. 1940

Franklyn Syres made this watercolour, Dove, sometime in the 20th century, and its gentle washes feel very much of their time. It reminds me of my own process: the way an image comes into focus through layers, a journey of seeing. The colours here are so subtle. There's a real delicacy to the way the grey is built up, almost like a whisper of tone. It's interesting to see how Syres allows the paper to breathe through the paint, letting the whiteness become part of the dove itself. Look at the shadow under the wing, a soft, blurry edge, it's where the form starts to feel really alive. You can almost sense the roundness of the body and imagine the texture of the feathers. The base has this beautifully awkward rendering that makes the whole thing even more charming. It reminds me a little of some of Marsden Hartley’s folk art paintings, but with a quieter, more introspective feel. It's like Syres is having a conversation with the object, figuring it out as he goes, and inviting us to join in.