Metal Trivet c. 1941

Glenn Wilson made this drawing of a metal trivet, and look at how he’s really thinking about the process of image-making. It’s not just about representing an object; it’s about thinking through the hand. The umber color is applied in these really delicate layers, almost like a watercolor, which gives the metal this ghostly presence. The texture he achieves is so interesting. The surface isn’t just flat; it has this depth that makes you want to reach out and touch it. Think about the way the radiating lines at the top transform into the knotted rope. It’s not quite representational, but it gives this sense of material presence. It reminds me a bit of the way Morandi would paint bottles, turning everyday objects into these monumental forms through the simple act of looking and mark-making. Art is really just an ongoing conversation. It embraces all these different interpretations, never fixed, always open.