Pipe c. 1938

Manuel G. Runyan’s drawing, ‘Pipe’ is, well, a pipe, plain and simple! The unassuming colour palette, mostly just browns, puts the emphasis firmly on the making. I can just picture Runyan carefully rendering each groove and curve. Up close you can see the way the light plays across the surface. There’s a slight sheen, but also these rough, unfinished edges. I’m drawn to the mouthpiece itself. It's like a little cave, promising something. The way the light catches it makes it feel almost alive. You can see how Runyan has used a whole range of marks to build up the form – short, delicate strokes, and darker lines to suggest depth. Runyan’s pipe reminds me of Van Gogh’s boots; not particularly fancy or precious, but somehow profoundly human. It reminds us that art isn't just about grand statements, but about paying attention to the small, quiet things.