Pewter Porringer c. 1936

Charles Cullen created this drawing of a pewter porringer with graphite, giving it a ghostly, ethereal quality. The subtle gradations of tone suggest a meticulous process, each mark building to form the illusion of depth and volume. The graphite is applied with such care that the surface of the porringer almost seems to shimmer, a testament to the artist's attention to detail. I love how the artist has rendered the handle of the porringer, all these little teardrop shapes, like frozen water, capturing the weight and feel of the metal. It makes me want to reach out and touch it, to feel the cool smoothness of the pewter. Cullen's drawing reminds me of the work of Vija Celmins, another artist who finds beauty in the everyday. Like Celmins, Cullen invites us to slow down and appreciate the simple, elegant forms that surround us. Art is about finding the extraordinary in the ordinary, the magic in the mundane.