Spade Bit c. 1936

Rose Campbell-Gerke made this drawing of a Spade Bit using what looks like graphite and colored pencil on paper. It’s not about photorealism, but more about the way the light plays across the metal. The textures are amazing, right? You can almost feel the cold, hard steel and the worn leather. I’m drawn to the way Campbell-Gerke uses these muted tones to create depth. Look at how she renders the circular elements, it almost looks like a pearl necklace, or maybe a string of teeth. It’s not just about the object itself, but also about the way light transforms the surface of something and in doing so, makes it feel alive. It kind of reminds me of Charles Sheeler’s precisionist paintings, the way he found beauty in the everyday objects and industrial forms. Art isn’t about answers, but about opening up new ways of seeing and feeling.