Horse Hair Cinch c. 1936

This drawing of a Horse Hair Cinch was made by Harry Mann Waddell, using what looks like graphite and colored pencil. The parallel lines of the cinch body are so meticulously rendered it is almost as if the artist is using the image to think through the process of making, as much as to depict an object. The leather sections are depicted in more depth. The slightly mottled quality of the colored pencil creates a soft, tactile surface. But the real magic happens where the two materials meet; look how the dark vertical lines extend into the patterned leather sections, like the warp of a loom. It’s like he wants us to see the object from the inside out, revealing its inner logic. The American folk artist, John Kane, also did meticulous drawings of functional objects like tools. Waddell shares Kane’s attention to detail, transforming the mundane into something beautiful. Ultimately, the drawing becomes more than just a representation; it’s a meditation on craft and design.