Block Plan 1935 - 1942

George Stonehill created this watercolor block plan on paper at some point in his long life. The building and garden are rendered in muted tones that somehow manage to feel both precise and dreamlike. I love that quality in a painting. Looking closely, the washes of color are thin and transparent, allowing the paper to breathe through. There's a delicacy to the marks, a tenderness in the way the garden is laid out, the trees are suggested with just a few strokes, and the shadows softly define the architecture. It’s a functional drawing, but it's also full of artistic feeling. Notice the dark blue figure placed within the courtyard as well, seemingly at odds with the architecture. Stonehill’s work reminds me of Paul Klee, who was also interested in architecture. Ultimately, art is always a conversation, an ongoing exchange of ideas across time, full of interpretations and no fixed meanings.