Granite 1939

Sol Wilson made this painting, Granite, with oil on canvas, and, wow, is it a study in black and white. Just look at how those hues dance across the surface, like a memory unfolding. You know, I can almost feel Wilson at work, wrestling with the canvas, each stroke a question, each layer a conversation. What was it like for him, staring at that scene, trying to capture not just what he saw, but what he felt? It’s like he’s digging into the earth right along with the workers, trying to get at something solid. The paint's not too thick, but you can still feel the texture, the grit of the scene. There’s this one figure with his arm raised, directing the crane, and it’s like, he’s not just moving stone, he’s conducting the whole scene. And that crane, poised with a huge block, becomes this focal point, heavy with potential. We’re all talking to each other across time. Wilson’s talking to us, and we’re talking back, trying to make sense of it all. Painting isn’t about answers, it’s about the questions, the ambiguity, the space in between.