Cookie Cutter 1935 - 1942

Franklyn Syres painted this cookie cutter, its date unknown, giving the old tinplate a wash of grey. I can only imagine Syres eyeing this object, this relic of childhood, and thinking about what it means to create form, to shape the shapeless. The surface texture makes it appear like it's been used and used again, worn smooth by the endless rolling of dough and the pressing of little hands. Look at those dots—like stars in a child's connect-the-dots game. I wonder, does this recall other artists, such as Wayne Thiebaud, who find fascination in everyday objects? Syres takes something utterly mundane and asks us to consider its beauty, its history, and its potential for transformation. Artists are always looking, borrowing, and building on what's come before, and this piece reminds me of that ongoing dialogue. It is a simple painting, but with much to ponder.