Ontwerpen in halfprofiel voor Iseger: vazen, bekers, een kom, een bak en een schotel van aardewerk Possibly 1920 - 1928

This drawing shows the artist Theo Colenbrander’s plans for vases, cups, a bowl, a tray, and an earthenware dish. It was made on January 28th in 1920. What was Colenbrander thinking? I picture him with his pencil, working out the designs, going back and forth, thinking through how each piece might be used. The drawing itself has such a tactile quality! I love the way Colenbrander uses line, repeating simple marks to define the form. He’s also adding little notes, thinking aloud on the page, as though talking to himself about each curve and swell. The thin lines and annotations are delicate and precise but have an expressive quality. It puts me in mind of other designers and craftspeople who work this way, from potters to architects. There is a conversation between us, across time, about how we make things, the pleasure of thinking through making, and the endless possibilities of line.