Timpanist, Ink Drawing by Joan Carl Strauss

Details

Description

Signed and dated lower margin

Description
Composed with lively, intersecting strokes, this drawing conveys the vigorous energy of a timpanist … Read more Signed and dated lower margin

Description
Composed with lively, intersecting strokes, this drawing conveys the vigorous energy of a timpanist mid-performance. Strauss renders the large drum with architectural solidity while allowing the musician’s form to remain loose and expressive—capturing the theatrical interplay of body and instrument.

Context & Legacy
Works like these highlight Strauss’s interest in performance and gesture, situating her within a lineage of artists—from Degas to Käthe Kollwitz—who examined musicians as artistic subjects.

Collector’s Note
This drawing stands as one of Strauss’s most animated compositions, making it an excellent addition for collectors seeking movement, vitality, and a glimpse into mid-century studio practice.


BIO

Joan Strauss Carl was a Los Angeles artist, teacher, and humanitarian activist. She was a past president of the Los Angeles Art Association and has left a formidable body of her work and commissions in private collections, museums, and houses of worship. She was a prolific sculptor and painter. After studying art in Cleveland and at the Art Institute of Chicago, she traveled West. Her decision had proved smart as she quickly had six one-man shows and was consistently accepted in the very important invitational, juried exhibitions from San Francisco to San Diego. A quote from her exhibition: Joan Carl – One-Man Sculpture Show. “My work is my way of life. It is a constant search and examination and questioning of ideas as well as form and substance, and yet each new creation is a re-affirmation of respect and love of humanity and life.” Joan was represented by Paideia Gallery in Los Angeles and resided in Sherman Oaks, California for many years. As a sculptor, she worked in many mediums, including bronze, terracotta, stone, and wood See less