Gloves c. 1937

Jessie M. Benge made this drawing of gloves on paper. The odd juxtaposition of a finished glove alongside an incomplete one gives us a peek into Benge's process, it’s like she’s saying, “Here’s how I build an image”. The finished glove has a soft, warm, almost fleshy tone, achieved through delicate washes. You can almost feel the smooth texture of the glove. But then, there's this ghost-like glove, just an outline, hovering in the background. It makes you wonder, is it a memory, a shadow, or just the next step in the drawing? The lines are simple, unadorned. It’s interesting how the artist chose to highlight the seams with subtle, darker strokes. It gives the glove form and a sense of depth. This piece reminds me of Agnes Martin’s quiet, meditative drawings, in the way it finds beauty in simplicity and repetition. It’s a celebration of seeing and making, of how an artist can transform the ordinary into something quite extraordinary. It’s not just about gloves; it’s about the magic of art itself.