Ember Carrier 1935 - 1942

Mildred Ford made this drawing, Ember Carrier, using graphite on paper. Look closely and you'll notice how Ford paid meticulous attention to the textures of the materials, the wood and the metal, the light that reflects on the surface. I wonder if Ford drew this from life? She knew this object intimately, it’s not just something she glanced at. Maybe she handled it with her own two hands. Think about the warmth and heat. The domesticity and daily rituals that might have been associated with it. Ford’s drawing reminds me that art is a conversation across generations. We all inherit from the past, and it is our turn to add something new.