Grave Marker c. 1938

This drawing of a grave marker was made by Edward White, but we don’t know when exactly. Look at the graphite markings and how they build up the image. You can almost feel White’s hand moving across the page, layering the tones, gently coaxing the image into being. I wonder what he was thinking as he drew this? Was it a labor of love, a somber task, or a mix of both? Maybe he found solace in the act of creation, tracing the forms of the bird, leaves, and entwined serpent again and again. There is a lot of care here: the texture and fine details of the sculpture almost pop out of the surface. This drawing reminds me that artists are always in conversation with each other, across time and space, inspiring one another to see the world in new ways. It’s not just about the final image, it’s about the process of seeing and feeling your way through it.