Bishop Hill: Scissors c. 1939

Archie Thompson made this drawing of a pair of scissors, we don’t know when, using watercolour. There’s something so arresting about a mundane object depicted with such care. Look at the way Thompson used the translucency of the paint to create depth and shadow. The blades aren’t just flat shapes; you can almost feel their worn edges. Notice the gentle washes around the scissors – that slightly stained effect feels really immediate and intimate. It’s like Thompson wanted to capture not just the object, but also the feeling of using it. I think of artists like Giorgio Morandi, who also found endless inspiration in humble, everyday things. It’s a reminder that art isn’t always about grand gestures; sometimes, it’s about really seeing the beauty in the simplest of forms. And, of course, it's about the conversation between seeing, feeling, and making.