Male Hopi c. 1920

Fred Kabotie painted this 'Male Hopi' with watercolor on paper. I love the way the colors are laid down so cleanly, like a coloring book, yet there’s real energy in the details. It's not about perfection, but about getting the essence of the figure down. Look at the skirt, those black triangles and the contrasting bands of red and brown, they really pop against the flat background. The paint is so thin you can see the paper underneath, which gives the whole image a light, airy feel. The artist's hand is visible in the slight unevenness of the lines, which makes it feel so personal. This guy reminds me of some of Marsden Hartley's portraits – that same interest in American subjects. Both artists give us their vision of their subjects, opening up a space of imagination, that's what art's all about anyway, right?