Bellows c. 1935

Benjamin Resnick made this drawing of a Bellows in an unknown year with graphite and colored pencil on paper. The graphite lines are so delicate, creating a muted effect that lets the colors sing. There is something so appealing about this very formal rendering of a humble object. The texture is matte, and the colors are soft and muted, like the memory of a thing. The artist has used colored pencil with precision and control, yet there’s an undercurrent of playfulness in the floral decorations. Look closely and you will see the most charming little imperfections in the lines. The artist seems to delight in the quirks and idiosyncrasies of his subject. And these small details give the piece such character and warmth. The drawing reminds me of the work of Ree Morton, who transformed overlooked, everyday things into something beautiful and meaningful. Like Morton, Resnick invites us to find beauty and poetry in the unexpected.