Bulto (Wooden Figure of Saint) 1935 - 1942

E. Boyd made this ‘Bulto (Wooden Figure of Saint)’ sometime in the 20th century, using watercolor and graphite. The way the colors are laid down, not quite flat, a little uneven, feels like a process of discovery. There's something so touchable about this saint. The graphite lines holding down the watercolor, not too tightly. Look how the blue sash loops across her waist, the diagonal lines creating a sense of volume, and how it is all just shapes, really. It feels like E. Boyd is figuring out the form as they go. The teardrop on her cheek brings an emotional aspect to this otherwise quite formally composed piece. I’m reminded of Milton Avery, in that simple directness and how his color choices evoke a feeling rather than depict an actual color. There is a real openness here, an invitation to see and feel.