Silver Beaker 1938

Dorothy Dwin made this drawing of a Silver Beaker with graphite, I guess in 1938. When I look at this rendering of a silver beaker, I can see a whole world of mark-making decisions. I wonder what Dorothy was thinking when she decided on the angle and how to make it look like silver? It’s not easy! The graphite gives a very matte surface, which is funny because it's a drawing of a super shiny, reflective object. You can see the initials ‘T W’ engraved on the object in a beautiful serif font, and Dwin has worked hard to make it look realistic. What did TW drink from this vessel, I wonder? The precision here is almost photographic, yet it’s still a drawing, and the quality of the line and the shading, although meticulous, give the object depth, volume, and weight. Dwin has made some very interesting choices here. Maybe this work says something about how artists see and represent the world around them. After all, artists are in a constant dialogue, exchanging ideas and inspiring each other’s creativity across time.