Pitcher c. 1917

Here's a silver pitcher by Clara Barck Welles that's got me thinking. I wonder what it was like to hammer this thing into being? Silver is a soft material, but it has a kind of resistance. The handle is so smooth, almost sinuous, while the body of the pitcher is made up of these gentle lobes or petals. It makes me think about the relationship between form and function, and how Welles, as a craftsperson, was probably thinking about both. How does the act of holding, pouring, and serving shape the way we experience beauty? The silversmith probably looked at flowers a lot, you know? And I love how this simple object holds so many possibilities for use and meaning. It is like a conversation between the artist, the material, and the person using it. It's all part of one big exchange of ideas!