Coffee Grinder c. 1941

Pearl Davis made this drawing of a Coffee Grinder, but we don’t know exactly when. What I love is that it’s so simple, capturing the raw, earthy feel of this everyday object. I can imagine Davis, pencil in hand, carefully observing the grinder’s worn textures and functional shape. Did she pause, I wonder, to consider the countless cups of coffee this object helped bring into being? The wheel and base of the grinder—the rough grain of the wood—give it a tactile quality. You can almost feel the weight of it, the way it might feel to run your fingers over its surface. It’s a modest subject, yes, but Davis brings out its quiet dignity. And, it reminds me that every artist, from the most famous to the least known, is part of a long, ongoing conversation, each one teaching the other how to really see.