Match Safe c. 1940

Neva Coffey made this drawing of a match safe with graphite on paper sometime during her lifetime, which stretched from 1855 to 1995. Can you imagine the focus and care needed to render a three-dimensional object on a flat surface? It feels like Neva is working hard to accurately depict the object. The light reflects and plays across the surface of the metal. She's captured the minute details. Look at the way she’s rendered the devilish face and the foliage, and the decorative aspects of the metalwork. This drawing almost feels sculptural, doesn’t it? This piece reminds me a little of the drawings of Vija Celmins, who also meticulously captures the surface of things. Artists are always in conversation with each other, across time and space. They teach and inspire us all!