Mission Dolores - San Francisco c. 1939

Marguerite Redman Dorgeloh made this drawing of Mission Dolores in San Francisco, using layered pencil marks to capture the scene. It's fascinating how a simple tool can create such depth, don't you think? Look closely at the sky, and you’ll see how the tiny strokes build a moody atmosphere. Dorgeloh doesn't hide her process; each mark is visible, a testament to her hand at work. The texture of the trees against the stark facade of the mission is a wonderful contrast. Notice how the lines defining the building are sharp and precise, while those describing the foliage are softer, more suggestive. It's as if she is saying that our experience is built in both our perception and our emotional response to what we see. Dorgeloh’s work reminds me a little of Charles Sheeler's precisionism, but with a softer, more personal touch. Like Sheeler, she finds beauty in simplicity, but her visible mark-making adds an element of human touch, inviting us to see the world through her eyes.