Dough Mixer c. 1940

Editor: This is "Dough Mixer," a watercolor and charcoal drawing by Roger Deats from around 1940. There’s a simple beauty to it; almost feels nostalgic looking at it, like a snapshot from a quieter time. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see an object imbued with labor and tradition, a humble machine rendered with remarkable attention. Consider how this simple box isn't just a utilitarian object but also a vessel of cultural memory. This mixer reminds us of hands kneading, families gathered, and the slow, rhythmic processes that connect us to the past. It echoes the hearth and home. Editor: So, it’s more than just the picture of an object; it carries symbolic weight? Curator: Precisely. Deats chose to depict not a grand landscape or portrait, but a common kitchen tool. This speaks volumes. It elevates the ordinary, suggesting the inherent value in everyday tasks and objects. What does bread making conjure for you? Comfort? Ritual? This artwork makes visible and enduring the processes involved. Editor: I think it brings up images of community, family gatherings… and smells, definitely smells. I’m now noticing how the texture of the wood is so carefully rendered in the drawing – as though inviting the viewer to touch the object. Curator: That tactility is key. Think of wood as a symbol itself – of warmth, growth, endurance. Its presence infuses the piece with deeper meaning. How do the unadorned surfaces change how we receive the art object itself? What did you expect to see when you first viewed the artwork versus your interpretation now? Editor: I had no expectation of so much… resonance! It’s just… a box. But now, I get how it’s tied to history, and memories, like the artist preserved a moment in time. Curator: Yes, Deats gives significance to a simple tool – making this a statement of memory, continuity and home. I have to admit it's impacted me, too.