Candle Holder c. 1938

Mildred Ford drew this candle holder, and you can tell she took her time with it. I bet she was curious about how to turn something sturdy and metallic into something light and airy on paper. Look at the way the base curves and bends; you can almost feel the weight of the metal. I wonder if she sketched it first and then went back in with darker lines to give it form? Ford is playing with light and shadow here, isn’t she? I can imagine her squinting, moving the candle holder, and tilting her head to capture the perfect angle. I think that making art is like having a conversation with other artists across time. Ford would have been looking at other images and then making this one. Her drawing is a humble tribute to the objects that light up our lives.