Tie-back c. 1938

Helen Bronson made this Tie-back drawing, using what looks like watercolor, in an unknown year. It’s all about observation, you know? The drawing is a close study of a wooden knob, complete with a technical drawing in the corner. Look at the way Bronson captures the subtle gradations of light on the wood. It's not just brown, it's a whole symphony of warm tones. The concentric circles in the center pull you in, like looking into a whirlpool. It's the kind of drawing that makes you appreciate the beauty in the everyday, the kind of thing you might overlook. I think of Vija Celmins, who also made drawings of ordinary things, but transformed by attention. Art is an act of noticing, isn't it? Giving value to things that might otherwise go unseen. It’s like Bronson’s saying, ‘Hey, look at this little thing. Isn't it amazing?’