File Skates c. 1940

Sydney Roberts' 'File Skates', rendered in watercolor, ink, and graphite on paper, are like characters waiting for their story to unfold. I can imagine Roberts meticulously layering those delicate washes of brown and gray, building up the textures of metal and leather. The lines are so precise, so full of care. What was she thinking as she traced the curves of the skate blades, the buckle of the strap? Maybe she was thinking of gliding on ice, or maybe she was just interested in the way light catches on the surface of things, in the shapes and forms of this everyday object. Look at the way she’s captured the wear and tear, the little imperfections that give the skates their character. It’s like she’s not just painting an object, but telling a story about time, about use, about memory. And that’s what makes it so compelling, so alive. The skates become a metaphor for something else, something bigger than themselves.