Piggin c. 1938

Annie B. Johnston made this drawing of a wooden "Piggin" with pencil and watercolour on paper. I’m wondering what it was like for her to make this image. Looking at the drawing, I get a sense that she’s trying to capture not just how the object looks, but how it feels: the wood’s graininess, the worn edges, even the rough texture. The muted ochre-brown palette gives it a quiet, contemplative feeling. Her mark-making has a kind of softness, as if she’s caressing the object with her pencil. I notice how she carefully details the texture of the wood, using very fine lines to give it depth and volume. It reminds me that drawing, like painting, isn't just about representation. It's about connecting with something, understanding it, and expressing that understanding in a way that's both personal and universal. It shows how we’re always looking at the world, at other art, learning, responding, and carrying on the conversation.