Silver Pitcher c. 1936

Here is John Garay’s pencil drawing of a silver pitcher; it’s a study in light, reflection and form. You know, drawing is a process of constant adjustment – you put down a line, then you look, and then you adjust that line in relation to what’s around it, back and forth, until something emerges. And in this drawing, you can see Garay doing just that, carefully building up the volume of the pitcher through layers of graphite. Look at how the light seems to bounce off the surface of the metal. The smudges and soft shading around the edges give it a hazy, almost dreamlike quality. Notice that little flourish at the top of the handle, such a simple gesture, but it adds so much elegance. It reminds me of some of the drawings of everyday objects made by Giorgio Morandi. Both artists share a sensitivity to the quiet beauty of the mundane. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that art isn’t just about grand statements, but about finding poetry in the ordinary.