Gold Thimble c. 1937

George Seideneck made this drawing of a gold thimble, but the date is unknown. The gold thimble has a decorative floral design. You can almost see the artist gently building up the image with layers of subtle color. I wonder if Seideneck was thinking about the history of craft and domestic labor when he created this drawing. The details are so precise, so focused, you get the sense he really enjoyed looking closely at this object. Maybe he was thinking about his mother or grandmother and their relationship to mending and sewing. There’s something about how carefully the light and shadow are rendered that makes me feel like he’s paying homage to the unsung, everyday objects that shape our lives. The drawing is modest but quietly powerful. Artists are always looking, always thinking, and always finding new ways to make us see the world anew. We see the world through the thimble.