Pewter Beaker c. 1936

Eugene Barrell made this drawing of a Pewter Beaker with graphite on paper. Look at the gradations of dark and light that model this humble object, and the hand-drawn quality of the lines, their almost vibrating energy! You can feel Barrell’s presence and focus, how he looked closely and carefully at the object. I wonder if he found the beaker beautiful? He must have been captivated by its form and subtle surface qualities to depict it so reverently, to draw it in such detail. It reminds me of those minimalist sculptors who elevated the mundane to a place of artistic consideration. I guess that all artists, including myself, are on a similar mission, transforming the ordinary into something extraordinary through attention, creativity, and imagination.