Study for "Spruce Clearing" 1956

George Bunker made this "Study for Spruce Clearing" using cut and pasted paper. What strikes me is how Bunker wasn’t afraid to let the process be visible; the torn edges of the paper become part of the composition, like brushstrokes in a painting. The color palette here is so earthy, mostly browns and blues, which gives the impression of a natural environment. Bunker uses the texture of the paper to his advantage. Some pieces are smooth, while others have a rough, torn quality. In the lower section of the composition, there’s this cluster of smaller, jagged pieces—they create a sense of depth and texture, almost like you could reach out and touch them. It's not just about depicting a scene, but about building it, piece by piece. It reminds me a bit of Kurt Schwitters, who also used collage to create abstract compositions. Both artists embraced the accidental, finding beauty in the discarded and overlooked. It feels like the study embraces ambiguity and multiple interpretations, making this "Spruce Clearing" so interesting!