Silver Salver c. 1939

This drawing of a silver salver, or tray, was made by Vincent Carano at an unknown date. Look at how the pressure of the pencil has been altered to describe the gradations in light across the reflective surface. I can imagine the artist working back and forth, from the object to the paper, trying to describe each tiny detail. When drawing, you really get to know an object. It reminds me of Morandi, the way he draws and redraws the same bottle. There is a real intimacy that develops between the artist and their subject! I wonder what the artist thought of the object they were drawing. Was it something that they had been commissioned to design, or perhaps a precious family heirloom? It reminds me that all artists are in constant conversation with each other! Art-making is all about exchange and creative inspiration. Each of us trying to make sense of the world in our own way and passing down our own distinct way of seeing.