Drawshave 1938

Thomas Dooley made this drawing of a Drawshave in 1938. The drawing seems so matter-of-fact, rendered in a simple palette, that you might be forgiven for thinking it's just a picture of a tool. But there is an honesty in the marks that speaks to a deeper connection with the object and, therefore, with the process of artmaking itself. I love the rendering of the aged metal. Dooley describes the texture of the blade with a patient hand, using layers of colour to create a sense of depth and age. The transparency of the medium allows the surface of the paper to breathe, giving the object a ghostly, almost ethereal presence. There is something so humble and beautiful in the way Dooley approaches his subject. The drawing reminds me a little of the quiet still-lifes of Giorgio Morandi. Both artists seem to find profound beauty in the mundane, elevating simple objects through careful observation and subtle mark-making. Ultimately, this drawing is a testament to the power of art to transform the everyday into something extraordinary.