Chandelier c. 1936

This line drawing of a chandelier was created by Florence Huston, and I love the way it plays with the concept of form and function. The stippled shading gives a real sense of depth and texture to the piece, like you could almost reach out and feel the cool metal. See how the light seems to radiate downwards? It’s kind of magical. I’m always interested in how artists use simple materials, like ink, to create such depth and complexity. And how the precision of the lines can still feel loose and intuitive. Huston's mark-making reminds me of Charles Burchfield, with a similar attention to the everyday and the unseen, which shows how much art is an ongoing dialogue, each artist building on the ideas of those who came before. Ultimately, what art does best is invite us to see the world from a fresh perspective.