Whirligig c. 1937

Bernard Westmacott made this drawing of a whirligig at an unknown date, using graphite on paper. Look at the precision of his draughtsmanship! It makes me wonder what Bernard was thinking when he made this artwork? Was he thinking about the relationship between art and craft? I bet he was. I can almost see him trying to create the illusion of three-dimensionality and volume on a flat surface. The careful tonal gradations, the way he captures the play of light and shadow, and the attention to the object’s texture… It’s as if he is reaching out to touch it. The piece is a kind of conversation with the folk art tradition. I bet he was inspired by the energy and vitality of these artists. The drawing feels really playful, and I imagine the whirligig, animated by the wind, comes to life, spinning and twirling. You feel the breeze, right? It makes you want to make something yourself. It’s the kind of piece that keeps that artistic conversation flowing across time.