Silver Mug c. 1938

Hester Duany made this drawing of a silver mug, we don't know when, using graphite and colored pencil. You can tell she was really looking at the light, how it hits the metal and makes it glow. It's not just about drawing a mug, it's about the dance of light and shadow on a simple, everyday object. The surface is so smooth, almost like you could touch it and feel the cool metal. She used the pencils to build up the different tones, from the bright highlights to the darker areas that give the mug its shape. Look closely at the handle, see how the light catches those little details? That's where you can see Duany really paying attention, trying to capture every little nuance. This reminds me of some of the still lifes by Giorgio Morandi, where he paints the same bottles over and over, each time trying to see something new. It's about slowing down and really looking, finding beauty in the ordinary. Art is an ongoing conversation.