Tie-back c. 1938

Here's Harry Jennings' drawing of a 'Tie-back', made with subtle marks and delicate washes of green-gold, like an antique mirror reflecting a long-lost garden. I imagine Jennings, hunched over his desk, squinting through his spectacles, trying to capture the very essence of this object – the way light catches the curve of the hand, the subtle details of the leaves, the slight patination that comes with age. It reminds me of when I’m in the studio, wrestling with a painting, trying to tease out the hidden forms and feelings that lurk beneath the surface. Look how the hand is drawn so softly, cradling those leaves, like a promise of growth and renewal. It's almost as if Jennings is reminding us that even the most functional objects can possess a certain grace and beauty. It connects him to the lineage of artists and makers who find poetry in the everyday. We're all just trying to make sense of the world, one brushstroke, one drawing at a time.