Trimming Shears 1935 - 1942

Harold Ballerd's "Trimming Shears" is a detailed watercolor study of a common household tool. Executed between 1935 and 1942, the work exemplifies Ballerd's interest in everyday objects as subjects for art. The minimalist composition focuses on the shears, depicted in precise detail against a simple off-white background, allowing the viewer to focus on the form and texture of the object. The realistic rendering of the metal surface, with its subtle variations in tone, contributes to the work's sense of quiet realism and captures the essence of the object as a functional tool.