Shoe 1935 - 1942

Melita Hofmann made this drawing of a shoe, we don't know exactly when or with what, but the marks suggest colored pencil. I love how the hatching creates a kind of worn surface, like a shoe might actually look if it was loved. The shoe is a muted palette of browns, greys and creams, like an old photograph, but then over the top, or maybe underneath, is a layer of intricate floral decoration. It’s this combination of the functional and the decorative that really intrigues me. Look closely and you can see how the texture of the pencil lines creates depth and volume, while the floral pattern adds a touch of elegance and whimsy. I love the fact that it's almost like she's X-raying the shoe to see its history, or maybe its dreams! Hofmann's work reminds me a little of the drawings of Alfred Kubin. Both were interested in the way that the mundane can be transformed into something magical through the act of drawing. It makes me think about how art can help us to see the world in new and unexpected ways.