Pa. German Hinge c. 1936

Mildred Ford made this drawing of a Pa. German Hinge, we don't know when, but it feels like a careful record of a well-used object. Look closely and you can see how the artist has paid close attention to the gradations of light and shadow. It's as if she's trying to capture not just the shape, but also the weight and feel of the hinge. She wants us to feel it. The gray is subtle and so evenly distributed – this isn't about drama, it's about quiet observation. The image has the quality of something remembered, redrawn from memory. I love the slight imperfections, the tiny variations in tone, the slightly shaky lines, especially as they render the screws that hold the object together. This gives the piece a humble and honest quality. It's as if she's saying, "Here it is, in all its imperfect glory." This reminds me of the work of Charles Sheeler, another American artist who found beauty in the everyday.