Sand Shaker c. 1941

Renee Monfalcone made this drawing of a sand shaker, and a few sketches for its design, with watercolour and graphite on paper. I can almost feel her hand moving across the page, carefully rendering the object and figuring out its form. Look how she's captured the light reflecting off the wood. It's as if she's trying to understand the object not just visually but also through touch and feeling. I wonder if she was thinking about the object's function while she was drawing. Was she imagining the sand flowing through it? Or was she more interested in the object's shape and texture? This drawing reminds me that artists are always in conversation with each other, building on each other's ideas and techniques. It's a reminder that painting is not just about creating a beautiful image but also about exploring ideas, asking questions, and connecting with the world around us.