Flat Iron Holder c. 1938

Mildred Ford's "Flat Iron Holder" is a graphite drawing; its precision gives the image a blueprint-like quality. I love how the artist has broken down the object into different elevations to fully explain it, kind of like she's workshopping an idea for something bigger. Ford creates a convincing illusion of three-dimensionality with densely layered graphite. This reminds me of artists like Vija Celmins, who create compelling works through deceptively simple means. I wonder what it would feel like to hold the actual flat iron? The texture of the tool is evident, from the smooth surfaces of the handle to the rougher, more decorative elements around the central motif of the clasped hands. I particularly love the eagle; it almost seems too heavy for the horseshoe! The work reminds me that everything begins with an idea, and that artmaking can be about taking a simple form or concept and giving it new life through a concentrated focus. Like Sol LeWitt said, "It's not what it looks like but what it is."