Silver Mug c. 1936

This is Clayton Braun's "Silver Mug," made with graphite on paper, and it’s kinda mesmerizing. It's not just a drawing of a mug; it's like Braun is figuring out how light wraps around form, how to make something feel real with just shades of gray. Look closely at the handle. See how the graphite is layered to give it weight and dimension? It’s not just outlined; it's built up, like a sculpture in graphite. And notice the way he captures the sheen of the silver. It’s all about the push and pull of dark and light, creating this almost palpable sense of form. It reminds me of Morandi, how he could make everyday objects feel monumental just by the way he looked at them, and how he translated that vision onto the canvas. Braun’s mug isn’t just about representation. It’s about the process of seeing and translating that vision onto paper. It's like he's inviting us to slow down and really look, not just at the mug, but at the world around us.