Moccasin 1935

This Moccasin was drawn by Charles Charon in 1935, probably with colored pencils. I love the way the colors aren’t quite blended, you can see each individual mark that makes up the whole image. Check out the inside of the shoe, it's a soft lavender, rendered with these very visible strokes. It's not trying to trick you into thinking it *is* a shoe, it's about the making of a shoe, the process of seeing and recording. I mean, look how Charon captures the texture of the leather, with tight hatching in warm earthy tones. It reminds me of Guston, if he was drawing shoes, not painting abstract expressionist figures. The little teal leaf shapes, they're like moments of pure joy against the darker background. It’s a humble object, beautifully observed. Art isn’t about perfection. It’s more interesting when it embraces the messy, human touch.