Critter

William Hawkins (1895-1990) painted graphic, large-scale images depicting animals, architecture, religious scenes and well-known events. Here, Hawkins’ bold, dramatic Critter relies on the use of strong dotted paint application to create a sense of depth and texture in the depiction of its fur. The pattern draws the viewer to explore the animal’s body, and the artist interjects a note of humor with the collaged partial image of a human eye, which serves as the eye of the beast. Critter’s red, slightly upturned mouth presents itself as a mischievous smirk. The simple and rather plain pale yellow background with a smattering of sketchy trees further emphasizes the scale of the figure. It stands extremely tall, towering over the tree before it. Yet, when viewing the work, one can’t help but feel charmed by the gentle giant.