Revolver c. 1942

Elizabeth Johnson made this drawing of a revolver, we don't know when, using humble materials, like pencil and watercolor, but she coaxes from them something really special. There's a clear and simple intention here. It’s artmaking as a way of looking, a way of knowing something more deeply. I’m really drawn to the way the artist has rendered the metallic sheen of the gun, with soft grey washes layered carefully to build depth, and that lovely wood handle. There's a tension between the softness of the materials and the hardness of the object. I think about how this object might feel in my own hand, the weight of it, the coldness of the metal. It's a very quiet piece, not showy, but there's something so compelling about the attention to detail, like someone trying to understand the world through the act of drawing. It puts me in mind of those Shaker artists, with their simple, direct approach. There's a similar feeling of honesty and dedication in this piece, a sense of someone finding solace and meaning in the act of creation.