Sugar Bowl 1936

Charles Charon made this drawing of a sugar bowl, with colored pencil on paper. There is something so beautiful in Charon's mark-making. He is really looking, and responding to what he sees with simple but very carefully observed marks. The color palette is restrained, almost monochromatic, but the slight variations in tone, from blues and purples to yellows, give a lovely luster and depth to the rendering of the metallic surface. The texture of the paper is part of the drawing, the color showing through the marks made by the artist. Look at the surface of the lid, and see how the artist used small strokes to give the impression of reflected light. He has really considered the materiality of the object, and its reflective qualities. The work feels like a conversation, between the artist, the object and the paper. I can really imagine Morandi responding to this piece. The humble everyday object given great significance through careful attention and an economy of expression. A reminder to look closely.