Candlestand c. 1936

This is Jack Staloff's ‘Candlestand’. He made it on paper with graphite and colored pencil. This drawing feels like an unfolding of possible forms and the various parts of this ‘Candlestand’. Staloff takes us through a cascade of iterative designs, each exploring the materiality of the metal and the form of the candlestick. I imagine the artist playing with the shapes and the different features of the object. As the artist draws, the candlestick becomes more than just a functional thing; it takes on a life of its own. Notice the care Staloff takes rendering each curve and embellishment. The lines feel precise and deliberate, yet there’s a freedom in the composition. It's as if Staloff is inviting us into his creative process, sharing his thoughts and discoveries as he goes. Each of these candlestick studies has a different expression. I love the dialogue between one candlestick design and the other, as though each is conversing. It's an ongoing exchange of ideas.