Silver Porringer c. 1936

Herbert Russin drew this silver porringer using graphite on paper. Look at this drawing! It’s like Russin is saying, “Hey, world, check out this porringer!” The shading and the way he's captured the light reflecting off the metal, makes me think he’s really into this object. It is a humble subject, but the drawing feels like it's celebrating something. I wonder what Russin was thinking about as he made this drawing? There's an interesting combination of technical drawing and what almost feels like a kind of personal notation or record of his observations. The extra studies above and below the bowl suggest he was thinking about how the object could be viewed from different angles, almost like a cubist painting. It speaks to the different ways a single thing can be understood, interpreted, and reimagined through the act of drawing. It reminds me that artists are always looking, always figuring things out. This drawing is really an invitation into the artist's process.