Mirror 1927

This is Eric Gill’s drawing 'Mirror' made with pencil and crayon in 1927. You know, looking at the flurry of marks, I can almost feel Gill circling his subject, searching for the right line. It’s like he’s not just drawing what he sees but thinking through seeing. I wonder what kind of mirror he was looking at, and how many images were being reflected back at him. The orange crayon looks like it’s mapping the form, feeling its way around, while the pencil confidently traces the outline. That outstretched arm, still so tentative and open, is the gesture of someone reaching out and exploring new possibilities. You can see how he returns to this in his other works. It's all about the line, isn't it? Whether it's carved in stone or sketched on paper. You know, we are all connected by the lines we make and the stories we tell.