Ember Carrier 1935 - 1942

Mildred Ford's 'Ember Carrier', undated, drawn with what looks like pencil, really gets under my skin, you know? It's like she’s trying to figure something out, a process of seeing and representing at the same time. The texture of the carrier itself is incredible; Ford uses a technique where the graphite almost seems to bloom on the page, making the metal look aged, tarnished and worn. There's a passage on the lower half of the bowl, a kind of mottled effect, that is particularly interesting: it is so delicate, almost like a whisper. This isn't just a drawing of an object; it's a rendering of time, of use, of history. It reminds me a bit of some of the still life work of Morandi, a quiet meditation on everyday objects. Ultimately, Ford’s drawing opens up a space where the mundane becomes extraordinary, and the process of seeing becomes a form of deep reflection.