Pottery Piece c. 1939

Curator: What we have here is a simple yet quietly compelling drawing of a “Pottery Piece” by Sydney Roberts, estimated around 1939. It’s rendered in pencil and charcoal. Editor: It feels so grounded, doesn’t it? The tonal range, almost monochromatic, evokes earth and utility. There's a heft to it. I can almost feel the coolness of the clay. Curator: Absolutely, the artist really understands how to depict weight through shadow and line. Given the social context of the time, everyday objects held an emotional significance—reminders of survival and self-sufficiency, especially as resources became scarce. Editor: Which then brings my attention to the use of pencil and charcoal. Accessible, readily available materials. They speak to making do, a resourcefulness that underlines the intrinsic value found in labor. The hand shaping, the fire transforming—it's about what people can create. Curator: That's a lovely interpretation. I wonder if Roberts chose to depict it with these imperfections because the lived experience—its journey—was more intriguing than the flawless piece? I'm always drawn to artists willing to show a bit of reality. Editor: I think you might be right. It feels more democratic. The drawing transforms what could have been a common functional piece of material culture, probably made by anonymous hands, into art, so celebrating craft, labor and process. Curator: In its humility, it speaks volumes. What strikes me most is that stillness. Like it has a soul. Editor: In my view, Sydney Roberts highlights the way utility can achieve beauty when ordinary matter meets mindful skill. It goes from raw material, made useful for one task, to then become an artwork asking all sort of question.