Drawshave 1938

Tom Dooley made this painting, Drawshave, on paper using watercolor, in 1938. The color is muted, verging on monochrome, and yet look at the detail and texture achieved with such limited means. What was Dooley thinking when he painted this object? The drawshave slices away at a surface, revealing what lies beneath; perhaps Dooley felt the urge to strip things back to their essence. The blade itself is a dark band, punctuated by two wooden handles. These look worn from use. The brown of the metal is mottled with rust and age, suggesting a life well-lived. I love to look at how people represent everyday objects – it’s such a good way to understand how we all relate to the world through what we make, use, and see around us. It reminds me of how Fairfield Porter did it, also in watercolor. Different tool, same curiosity. Painting is such a conversation!