Fireplace Tongs c. 1941

Paul Poffinbarger made this image of fire place tongs with brown ink on paper. The tongs hover against an off-white paper, their simple form described economically in thin brown lines. You can tell these are fireplace tongs: the pincers suggest a familiarity, the loop at the handle a cool touch in an otherwise blazing hearth. I wonder what it was like for Paul Poffinbarger to look at this object so closely, to consider its curves and lines, to translate its metallic form into strokes on paper? Did he feel connected to it, or was it just a job? It must have been a humble job, I'm guessing, to spend time drawing these tongs... Think about this person, Poffinbarger, patiently rendering the tongs, finding beauty in the everyday. As painters, we’re always in conversation with each other across time, trading ideas, and igniting each other’s imaginations. So pick up your brushes, people, and let's keep that fire burning.