Untitled [two studies of a reclining female nude resting on right arm] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made these two studies of a reclining nude in pen on paper. The lines are so spare, like whispers outlining a form, and it's amazing how little it takes to suggest the weight and curve of a body. Looking at the bottom figure, that face seems so present, so full of thought. See how the lines thicken and thin, almost like he’s feeling his way around the contours, not just copying what he sees, but really exploring it. It's all about touch, about the hand moving across the page. It reminds me of moments in my own studio, where the act of drawing or painting becomes a form of thinking. These studies aren’t trying to be perfect or finished; they’re about the process, the investigation. It's like Cy Twombly's drawings, but with a different kind of California cool. They both show us that art isn't about answers, it’s about the questions.