Andiron (One of Pair) c. 1953

Mildred Ford made this graphite drawing of an andiron - that's a metal support for firewood in a fireplace - sometime in the 20th century. Imagine her, carefully studying its form, noticing the elegant curve of the legs and the robust twist of the handle. She’s made a record, not just a likeness. It's easy to see how Ford thought about space, volume, and line while drafting it. What was she thinking? It's almost like she's inviting us to think about the nature of support itself. I love how she included additional technical sketches, as if to say, "Here's how it works, but also, here's how I see it." We're all standing on the shoulders of those who came before, aren't we? And like Mildred Ford, we can choose to share our vision with the world. It's all one big conversation, inspiring each other to create, interpret, and reinterpret the world around us.