Churn 1935 - 1942

Mary Berner made this drawing of a churn, in pencil, at some point in her long life. The drawing style is just so matter-of-fact and practical. Look at the light, subtle shading on the churn. It's almost like she's describing the object to someone who's never seen one before. What I love most is the blue flower. It’s so delicately drawn against the sturdiness of the churn. It almost feels like a folk-art tattoo. The whole piece has this incredible textural quality. You can practically feel the cool, slightly rough surface of the ceramic, even though it’s just pencil on paper. Berner reminds me a little of Florine Stettheimer, who also had this way of turning everyday life into something a bit surreal. But where Stettheimer is all fizzy and theatrical, Berner is quiet and observant, turning a simple, functional object into a thing of beauty.