Self-Portrait at the Stone 1952

Benton Spruance made this lithograph, Self-Portrait at the Stone, using grease crayons on a big hunk of limestone. I like to imagine him rubbing and smearing those marks to conjure up a sense of his presence. The marks feel like a tender embrace, soft and kind. The work feels very personal and intimate, a portrait of the artist lost in thought. Look at his hand, hovering above the stone. Is he about to draw, or has he paused to reflect? What was he thinking, feeling? And how did these thoughts become marks and textures? It’s fascinating how such a simple material and humble gesture can evoke such depths. I think making art, like living, is about being present in the moment, curious, and open to new ideas.