Pair of Carved Wooden Arms c. 1937

This is a watercolor of a pair of carved wooden arms by John Davis. I can really feel the artist's hand in this one, a tenderness that comes through the strokes. I imagine Davis, eyes squinted in concentration, carefully rendering each detail of the wood grain. The arms are almost floating against the blank background, like memories or ghosts. The carving of the arm on the left, with the hand covering part of the face, has a certain drama, a moment of intense emotion. What was he thinking when he made it? The other arm, with its hand outstretched, gestures, a plea perhaps? Paintings like these are part of a big conversation between artists across time, inspiring each other, riffing off each other’s ideas. Here the artist invites us to engage with its uncertainties, to bring our own experiences and interpretations to the table. Because that's where the real magic happens, right?