Sugar Industry Implements c. 1938

Ray Price made this image of Sugar Industry Implements with watercolour on paper, but when? It’s hard to say. See how the rusty browns and earthy tones give a sense of history and labour? The tools aren't just represented; they're given a presence, as if the artist wants us to feel their weight and purpose. I find myself drawn to the marks on the blade of the knife. The texture is so carefully rendered, you can almost feel the roughness of the metal. There’s a balance here between precision and something more expressive, almost reverential. This reminds me of the work of Charles Sheeler, who found beauty in the mundane. It's a meditation on the tools of labour, and it invites us to consider the hands that used them.