Tool Box Hasp c. 1938

Mildred Ford made this drawing of a toolbox hasp, and what strikes me is how Ford coaxes a simple object into something so compelling with what looks like graphite on paper. The texture she creates is so rich, so palpable. Look closely, and you’ll notice the way the light catches on the metal, how she articulates the worn edges and the subtle variations in tone. She really makes the mundane magnificent. You know, it reminds me a bit of Vija Celmins' drawings of ordinary objects, where attention to detail elevates the everyday to the extraordinary. Ford is not just copying what she sees but feeling it, imbuing the object with her own sense of presence. In that sense, artmaking is about engaging with the world in ways that allow us to pause, reflect, and really see. It’s a form of conversation, a dialogue between the artist, the object, and ultimately, us.