Oxen Yoke c. 1936

Cornelius Frazier made this drawing of an Oxen Yoke, and he probably used pencil and watercolor, judging by the fine lines and delicate shading. It’s a very quiet, careful sort of work. I’m really drawn to the way Frazier renders the wood. He uses these soft, blended browns, like he's trying to capture the feel of the wood grain, not just its appearance. Look at how the light seems to catch the edges, making them glow. He is really celebrating the form. It's funny, it almost reminds me of some of the still life paintings by Giorgio Morandi. There’s a real sense of tenderness here, a quiet appreciation for simple, handmade objects. Artists like Frazier, and maybe Morandi, remind us that there’s beauty to be found in the everyday, and that art isn’t always about grand gestures, or loud statements, but it can be about quiet observation.