Marionette (Detail) c. 1937

Elmer Weise created this drawing of a Marionette, with watercolour and graphite. The artist uses a fluid wash to describe the puppet's face, layering warm browns with cooler tones to model the planes and angles. I love that the face looks like its been carved from wood, the angles are so pronounced. The puppet's features are striking; a long nose, and those big, red lips giving it a theatrical presence, a sense of drama and performance. Look closely and you can see the delicate graphite lines defining the contours, softened by the watercolour washes. The eye, with its sharp outline and glint of reflected light, draws you into the character’s gaze. There is a tangible sense of artmaking as an active and dynamic process in this piece; a conversation between the artist and their medium. It reminds me a little of Red Grooms, in the way it manages to be both charming, and somehow a little unsettling. These kinds of images offer a glimpse into the imagination of the artist.