Woman's Slipper c. 1936

Ella Josephine Sterling painted this watercolour, Woman’s Slipper, on paper. I love the sharp toe of the slipper, balanced against the gentle arch of the heel. The pink is so delicate, it almost dissolves into the paper. You can see the work that’s gone into each one of those criss-crossed lines that cover the body of the shoe. I imagine Josephine Sterling being really careful, patiently filling in each diamond shape. It makes me think about all the other artists who've been inspired by everyday objects: Van Gogh’s shoes or Warhol’s soup cans. I can also see other artists trying to capture the feel of the material world. There's something so intimate about the way she's rendered this slipper; it feels as though I know everything there is to know about it, as if I could reach out and put my foot inside.