Silver Cup c. 1938

Hester Duany made this drawing of a silver cup with what looks like graphite on paper. I love the way Duany uses the graphite to capture the light as it moves across the cup's surface. You can almost feel the coolness of the metal, the way it reflects the light. It’s so precise, but there’s something soft about it, too. Look closely at the handle. See how she’s built up the tone with all these tiny, little strokes? It’s almost like she’s caressing the surface with the pencil, trying to understand its form through touch. It reminds me a little of Morandi and his still lifes. Both artists share a similar interest in everyday objects, but it's the process of looking, of really seeing, that becomes the subject of their art. Ultimately, what's so compelling about this drawing is that it invites us to slow down and really look, to appreciate the beauty and complexity of the ordinary.