Embarcadero Studio, San Francisco 1959

Paul Wonner made this drawing of his San Francisco studio with what looks like a graphite pencil. The cross-hatching is so immediate and free, like he’s trying to capture the feeling of the space more than the details. Look at how he renders the light and shadow, using dense, scribbled lines to create a sense of depth. It’s almost like he's sculpting the space with the pencil, building up layers of tone to define the forms. I love the way he captures the texture of the walls and the objects in the room with such simple marks. Especially the light coming through the window on the left there. It’s a super dynamic composition, full of energy and movement. The perspective is a little wonky, but that just adds to the charm. Wonner reminds me a bit of Fairfield Porter, another artist who found beauty in the everyday. They both had a knack for capturing the poetry of the ordinary. Art is a conversation, right?