Head

Dorr Bothwell

Dorr Bothwell did this early conte crayon portrait in 1933. She had just relocated to San Diego after several years spent traveling; the Depression was underway, and she was in the middle of a tumultuous - and ultimately short-lived - marriage to sculptor Donal Hord. She was working in a number of different media to try to find her footing.

Drawing remained a foundational strength for Bothwell, allowing for a sure-footed confidence as she explored the abstracted forms she became known for in the coming decades. This early, warmly-hued and sensitive drawing depicts the head of a stoic, strong woman, perhaps of Hispanic or Latin American descent, without any external embellishment.

This work is illustrated in color on page 67 of "Dorr Bothwell - Straws in the Wind" by Bruce Levene. ISBN 978-0-933391-19-2.