Silver Mug c. 1938

Aaron Fastovsky made this drawing of a silver mug, we don’t know exactly when, using graphite and colored pencil. I love the subtlety of it, how the artist coaxes form out of just a few tones. It's like watching something materialize, slow and quiet. The mug is centered and isolated, so we can focus on its shape and the way light plays across its surface. Look closely, and you'll see Fastovsky uses very soft, blended marks to suggest the curve of the metal, and harder lines to define the mug’s edges. The texture is smooth, almost reflective, thanks to the graphite. Notice the small, almost imperceptible shifts in value that suggest the reflective nature of metal. See the way the graphite catches the light, mimicking the shine of the mug? It's like Fastovsky is not just drawing a mug, but capturing a moment, a fleeting reflection. And it reminds me of Giorgio Morandi, with his still lifes. Both artists transform humble, everyday objects into things of beauty and contemplation. Ultimately, it reminds us that art can be found in the most ordinary things.