Toast Rack c. 1939

Irene Lawson made this drawing of a toast rack with pencil on paper. I imagine she approached the object like a portraitist. I’m thinking about the way the wooden handle is rendered with so much care, with those subtle gradations of light and shadow giving it dimension and weight. Then, those quirky looping forms, and the parallel lines of the frame… Did she start with a light sketch, building up the details layer by layer? There’s a real affection for the everyday here, transforming this humble kitchen tool into a thing of beauty. It reminds me that everything has the potential to be art if we look closely enough. Lawson seems to be saying, “Hey, even a toast rack can be a muse!” which is an idea that resonates across art history. We’re all inspired by each other, remixing and reinterpreting, finding new ways of seeing.