Wooden Meal Scoop c. 1937

This wooden meal scoop was drawn by Gene Luedke, though there is no date provided we can still imagine the work that went into creating this drawing. I love how this piece shows us the drawing is of something. The texture of the wood is palpable; you can almost feel the smoothness of the scoop's surface. The color is warm and inviting, a reddish-brown that suggests the natural beauty of the wood. The artist takes time to show us how the scoop would be used by including sketches of different angles around the page. Look at the interior, it's a lighter tan, you can see the grain and texture. The dark outlines around the scoop give it a sense of solidity and weight, while the subtle shading creates depth and dimension. It reminds me a little of Charles Sheeler, who made paintings of barns that looked photographic in their precision, but were also incredibly abstract. Like Sheeler, Luedke gives us something both real and unreal. It's this ambiguity that makes the work so compelling.