Carved Storage or Pin Box c. 1939

Rolland Ayres made this drawing of a carved storage box, likely with graphite and watercolour. I can imagine Ayres, bent over this tiny object, carefully rendering each flourish of the carving. He's clearly got a feel for the material, translating the depth and texture of the original carving into a flat, illustrative form. I bet he spent a lot of time really looking at the object. It makes me think about folk art, how it often depicts scenes of everyday life. The figures in the box are like little actors. Paintings and drawings like this one offer us a glimpse into someone else's world, their way of seeing and interpreting the stuff around them. And even though Ayres is long gone, he's still inspiring me, sparking my curiosity. It’s just one big conversation!