Me in Horn-Rimmed Glasses 1979

Jim Dine made this etching, "Me in Horn-Rimmed Glasses," using a metal plate to create this intimate portrait. I love the way Dine lets the lines do the talking, they're scratchy and raw, building up to form his face. It feels like he's thinking through the image, figuring it out as he goes. The colors here are earthy, warm browns and reds, with touches of yellow. It’s like looking at a memory, something familiar but slightly faded. Look at the eyes behind the glasses, they're pools of light, reflecting everything and nothing all at once. Then there are the scribbled lines that make up his beard, they’re so full of energy, it's like feeling the stubble on his face. Dine’s work always feels so personal. Like a visual diary and reminds me a bit of Philip Guston's late work – that same kind of honesty, that willingness to be vulnerable. Art isn't about answers, it's about the questions we ask and the conversations we have along the way.