Cap c. 1940

Dorothy M. Gerhard made this drawing of a cap on paper, but when, we just don't know! The marks she’s making are really about the process of observation, the slow accumulation of tiny details that add up to a whole form. Look closely and you'll see how she captures the delicate lace with a gentle hand. The color palette is so restrained, almost monochromatic, giving the piece a quiet, contemplative feel. It makes me think of Agnes Martin’s subtle explorations of line and form, where the real action is in the minute variations and imperfections. There's something so intimate about the scale and the detail in the drawing, and the delicacy of the lace gives it a sense of tenderness. The way she's rendered the lace makes me wonder if she wasn’t a seamstress herself! This kind of drawing shows art as an ongoing conversation, a way of seeing and thinking that keeps evolving, and it's up to us to keep that conversation going.