Flat Iron Holder c. 1939

Irene Lawson drew this "Flat Iron Holder" sometime in the 20th century using graphite or ink on paper. The first thing I notice is the careful, almost hesitant, mark-making. It's like she's feeling her way around the object, trying to capture its essence without getting bogged down in the details. The texture is all in those tiny, repetitive lines – the wood grain on the handle, the slightly uneven edges of the metal frame. There's a real sense of the handmade here. Look at how the lines wobble and thicken in places, especially where the legs meet the frame. It reminds me of some of Guston's later, more cartoonish works, where the clumsy, awkward lines become part of the emotional content. It is not trying to be slick, it’s letting the process show. This piece, like all art, isn’t about perfection, it’s about the artist's unique way of seeing and feeling the world.