Salt Shaker c. 1939

Michael Fenga’s Salt Shaker is a drawing made with graphite on paper. Look closely at the lines, the way they define the shape and texture of the glass. I imagine Fenga carefully observing the play of light on the salt shaker, trying to capture its delicate form. What kind of shaker was this? Is it one he used? What memory is attached to it? There is such an intimacy in this drawing, in the patient rendering of each facet and curve. It reminds me of Morandi’s still lifes, where everyday objects are transformed through quiet contemplation. Fenga's drawing invites us to slow down and appreciate the beauty in the mundane, and makes me want to reach for my own pencil and paper.