Grain Shovel c. 1940

This is Mary Hansen's drawing of a Grain Shovel. The texture is built up slowly with graphite or maybe charcoal, layer upon layer. I imagine her looking closely, and I wonder what drew her to this particular object. What might she have been thinking when she made it? I think of Morandi and his bottles. Everyday life can be like that, an inquiry into the ordinary. This work is not about a grand gesture. Instead, the drawing is modest, careful, thoughtful, with a quiet intensity. The tones are muted and calm. It’s the kind of work that allows space for reflection, an intimate viewing experience. The piece has a surreal quality, as if the shovel is floating in space. In the end, art is a conversation across time. Hansen's work reminds me to slow down and look closely. To embrace the uncertainty of the creative process. I can feel her presence in every stroke.