Table 8 1949

Ilka Gedo made this drawing, "Table 8," with what looks like graphite on paper. You can almost feel the push and pull of the artist's hand as she coaxes this simple form into being. The texture of the paper is so present, like a gentle backdrop for the stark lines. The graphite isn't heavy, more like a whisper than a shout, and in the lower part of the image there are lots of little lines that look like grass, or the texture of the floor. It gives the image a grounded feeling. I can't help but think about Morandi when I look at this. Like him, Gedo seems to be looking so hard at a simple everyday object and extracting something profound from it. Ultimately, "Table 8" reminds me that art isn’t about showing off, it’s about seeing, feeling, and sharing what you find with others. It's in that sharing that the magic happens.