Warmer c. 1938

Jack Staloff made 'Warmer' sometime in the 20th century, using graphite and colored pencil on paper. It's all about lines, isn’t it? So precise, almost technical, but still with this tenderness. Look at how he's built up the form of the warmer itself. The density of the graphite, the way it catches the light – it's not just about depicting an object, it's about feeling its weight, its presence. See those paler lines that give the impression of a lid? Almost like a memory of the thing, or a possibility. It reminds me of my own process, layering and excavating, trying to find the essence of a form through repetition and erasure. Staloff reminds me of artists like Agnes Martin, who also used simple forms and repetition to create something deeply moving and meditative. It’s this quiet insistence, this dedication to the act of seeing and recording, that makes the work so special. It’s not just a drawing; it’s a way of thinking.