Steel Fork c. 1938

Fred Hassebrock made this drawing of a steel fork on paper, the date is unknown. What strikes me is how a common utensil becomes something worth contemplating through art. Hassebrock’s careful application of watercolor creates a smooth, almost polished surface. It’s like he’s inviting us to really consider this object, to see the beauty in the everyday. Look at the handle, the way he captures the wood grain with subtle variations of brown and the tiny dots of the rivets. There's a quiet intensity. The way the tines curve is subtly organic. There’s something very humble and direct about this piece, but it also reminds me of the precision and care that someone like Agnes Martin brought to her work. It’s not just a fork, it’s an exploration of form, line, and the simple beauty of functional objects.