Muff c. 1936

Lillian Causey made this watercolor and graphite drawing of a muff. I love that she chose such an unassuming object. It's so subtle, and the color palette is dreamy, like faded wallpaper. I can almost feel the texture, that soft, pillowy form, and the delicate lattice. I wonder what Lillian was thinking while she painted it? Did she have one exactly like this? Painting everyday objects can be an invitation to slow down, to really see. It reminds me of Morandi and his bottles, just quietly, insistently, asking us to look, and then look again. There's a generosity to that, a kind of quiet rebellion against the noise of the world. It's a way of saying: this matters, this small, overlooked thing is worthy of our attention. And maybe, that's enough.