C Flight Machine Cracked on Hangar B 1918

Here, in Frank Johnston's drawing, we see a plane that is very much not in flight, rendered with strokes of graphite and crayon. It’s got that beautiful, almost mournful palette of grays, browns, and muted greens—a real somber symphony of colour. Look closely, and you can see how the surface has this lovely, almost scratchy texture. The lines are so present, raw, and unblended, like he was really digging into the paper. It makes you feel like you’re right there in the hangar with him, amidst the wreckage. It's easy to imagine the artist, sketching rapidly, trying to capture the scene before it was cleared away. Johnston's earlier landscapes show the same expressive line work, even though the subject matter is very different. But in both cases, there’s a feeling of something seen, something felt, and then translated, quickly, onto the page. After all, isn’t that what art is all about: an ongoing conversation with the world around us?