File Skates c. 1940

Sydney Roberts gave us these 'File Skates' - the date is unknown, but they were made with graphite and watercolor on paper. And just look at the process. The color palette here is so simple. It's all quiet browns and tans, punctuated by the buckle which is a dark, insistent presence. The watercolor is applied in thin, deliberate washes, allowing the paper's texture to peek through. It gives the skates an almost ghostly presence. I really love the texture that Roberts coaxes from the graphite on the blade. It's like you can feel the rough, cold metal under your fingertips. That one little detail, that single area of mark-making, really brings the whole piece to life. These skates feel related to the work of someone like Joseph Cornell, who also had a knack for elevating everyday objects into things of wonder. Ultimately, art is a conversation, an ongoing exchange of ideas, and this simple image feels like a quiet, but essential, part of that dialogue.