Silver Beaker c. 1938

Dorothy Dwin made this drawing of a silver beaker, though when, we don’t know. I love how she’s approached the whole thing as a process; there's a real sense of trying to figure out the object. I’m struck by the sheen of the silver, which is beautifully captured with graphite. The metal almost looks like it has a pulse, doesn’t it? It's like Dwin is searching for the essence of the object, examining its textures, and the way the light bounces off its surface. Look closely, and you can almost feel the coolness of the metal. See those little decorative flourishes at the bottom, like stylized leaves? They remind me of Art Nouveau, but here they're rendered with such precision, such care. Dwin really makes you think about how we look at everyday objects, elevating the mundane into something extraordinary. It reminds me of Vija Celmins' meticulous drawings, that same attention to detail and dedication to the process. Ultimately, art is about seeing, and this piece is all about that.