Born in 1899, American artist James Castle’s drawings remained relatively unknown until the 1950s. Much of his work was made with soot and saliva on found items, like flour bags or receipts. The pictures themselves depict domestic interior and exterior scenes of rural Idaho, where Castle spent most of his life. Born deaf, he never learned to read, write, or use any form of signing outside of the personal signing he did with his family, though words and symbols do appear in his work. Despite his rudimentary materials, Castle’s drawings are varied and interesting, showing a strong grasp of shading that gives his drawings depth and life. by Jas Keimig