Saddle c. 1937

Frank C. Barks made this drawing of a saddle, and looking at the delicate washes, I imagine him working slowly, carefully. There's something really beautiful about the way he's rendered the saddle's texture and form with such precision and care. I wonder what he was thinking as he created the drawing, the texture of the wood, the buckle, and the light. It makes you think about all the possibilities of painting as a medium. The way he’s applied the paint, so thin and controlled, almost glows from within. Each stroke seems intentional, building up the form slowly. What he's doing here reminds me a bit of artists like Agnes Martin, who used repetition and subtle variations in color to create a sense of depth and space. Artists are always in conversation, you know, riffing off each other, finding new ways to see the world. It's all about exchange, about keeping the conversation going.