Wooden Spoon and Fork c. 1939

This is John Cutting's drawing of a wooden spoon and fork. Look how they sit on the page, expectant, as if at a table setting. I love the gentle precision of his hand as he defines these humble objects. When I look at this drawing, I think about how much time he must have taken studying these utensils to recreate them with such care and attention to detail. I can see him pausing to notice how the light catches each groove and curve, capturing the textures with the soft strokes of his pencil. Cutting’s interest in capturing everyday objects reminds me of other artists who celebrate the mundane in their work. What do you think he was trying to say about the value of simple tools? Maybe, like other artists, he was showing us the hidden beauty in the things we often overlook. Artists are in an ongoing conversation, and here Cutting reminds us to find beauty in the everyday.