Material from Dress c. 1937

Mary E. Humes made this piece, Material from Dress, with a pen, and ink, on paper. The design feels very planned out, and yet the mark-making has a kind of raw energy. You can see the process in the variations of pressure, the way the ink bleeds a little into the paper. Each line, each shape, feels like a small decision, a little experiment in seeing what the pen can do. Look at how the diamond shapes alternate between parallel lines, wavy horizontal lines, and the leaf motif. All of this, combined with the physical qualities of the ink, gives the artwork a kind of haptic presence. This reminds me a little of the graphic work of Ree Morton, who had a similar talent for combining a playful spirit with a deep feeling for materials. And that's the magic of art, right? It's not just about the final product, it's about the journey of making, the conversation between the artist and the materials.