Evening Slipper c. 1937

William Kieckhofel made this little drawing, Evening Slipper, with pencil and watercolor. I imagine him, perched somewhere, his brow furrowed with concentration as he renders the curves and textures of this delicate shoe. The slipper is the star here. It’s rendered in shades of blue, with pink trim and embroidered details. I love the way Kieckhofel captured the sheen of the fabric, it gives the slipper a sense of luxury. You can almost feel the soft texture of the shoe beneath your fingertips. Think about the quiet intensity it must have taken to create the drawing. You can see the way Kieckhofel has painstakingly worked with the watercolor to build up the tonal subtleties and the textures of the slipper. Every mark feels deliberate, imbued with the artist's attentive gaze and steady hand. In a funny way, I feel that I have been in conversation with Kieckhofel. We are exchanging ideas across time, he has inspired me, and I hope to inspire you.