Clock 1937

Here is "Clock," a drawing of a clock by Arthur Mathews. I just love the patience it must have taken to make this piece, especially considering the subject matter. I can imagine him, with his brush, carefully rendering the wood grain and tiny floral details around the clock face. The portrait of the woman in the lower section is really interesting! It’s like he was trying to preserve time by depicting its keeper, and the woman could be seen as the timekeeper of the home... or the artist! I see echoes of folk art traditions. It’s as if Matthews is in conversation with generations of artists and craftspeople, each adding their own layer to our understanding of time, memory, and representation. He shows us how to slow down and notice the world around us.