Tasha, Beatrice and Pups. Pomona Studio, London.

Title

Tasha, Beatrice and Pups. Pomona Studio, London.

Medium

Ink on paper

Description

Ink drawing of a nude female seated in a chair surrounded by five poodles on the ground.

Year

1958

Theme

Portraits

Archives Control Number

R26 584

Photo Credit

Jason Cawood

Exhibition

At the Archway

Selected by

Bree Tabin

Exhibition Description

Viewing this was the cementing moment for my selection, how it captured fun in chaos. Viewing it alongside the other varying work Mary had made showed us the multi-faceted mastering Mary had in her artwork. This piece was stuck in my head from its seemingly simplistic ink-on-paper medium style, but wild expression. One can see the planned structure Mary must have laid out when doing this figurative drawing - laying the figure draped on the chair next to the scenic fireplace setting, appreciating the seeming chaos in the image. From the expressive, free strokes of her linework to the scene of puppies energetically playing on the floor, Mary captures the playfulness and liveliness of the scene. Her ability to effortlessly capture the scene is something enviable - picturing how swiftly she captures the fireplace with her chattering lines makes one wish to approach figurative drawing with such playfully fun ease.