Child's Dress c. 1937

Al Curry made this gouache and graphite 'Child's Dress' sometime in the 20th century. It's not about realism, but about feeling, about the softness of cotton on a warm day. Imagine Al Curry, mixing that perfect pink, trying to capture the way light falls on the fabric. Each stroke, each delicate line of lace is a meditation, a love letter to a simple garment. There's a tenderness in the way the folds are rendered, almost like a memory of touch. It makes me think about the countless artists who’ve been drawn to the everyday, finding beauty in the mundane. Like Fairfield Porter, or even Agnes Martin, he's showing us that the most profound statements can be made with the quietest of gestures. I mean, who knew that a child's dress could have so much depth? It’s like Curry is whispering, "Look closer, feel more." Isn't that what painting is all about?