Whale Oil Peg Lamp and Stand c. 1940

Neva Coffey made this drawing of a Whale Oil Peg Lamp and Stand, and, well, isn't it wonderful? There is a tenderness to the drawing. Look at the way she has slowly and deliberately added layers of graphite to render the metal. It is the mark-making of someone who has spent time with an object, someone who understands process. I am drawn to the base of the lamp, the way the graphite is built up to create an illusion of depth. The concentric rings ripple outward. I can imagine the artist turning the lamp slowly as she draws it, searching for each plane and curve. There is a meditative quality to the image. In some ways, it reminds me of the still life paintings of Giorgio Morandi, both artists finding interest in the beauty of the everyday. This piece is less about perfection and more about the artist's genuine engagement with her subject. It is an invitation to slow down, to consider the beauty of simplicity, and to appreciate the process of seeing.