Candle Pendant c. 1937

Editor: This is Mildred Ford’s "Candle Pendant," a pencil drawing on paper from around 1937. It's interesting how technical and functional it looks, almost like an architectural rendering or product design sketch. What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: What strikes me is the intersection of domesticity and design in a specific historical moment. A candle pendant would likely exist in homes without electricity or where people wanted to limit electric light. What does it mean to elevate this everyday object to the level of art, particularly during a time of great social and economic change? Editor: That makes me think about how even mundane objects can be viewed differently based on their cultural significance. Why would Ford create a drawing of it rather than the object itself? Curator: Precisely! Consider the social context of the 1930s, where design and craftsmanship were often intertwined with social reform movements. There may be artistic appreciation to be garnered in Ford's technical accuracy and the implied utility, showing the value of well-designed objects within even modest households. The drawing becomes an assertion of value. Editor: It's interesting to consider how a simple drawing like this reflects broader societal attitudes about design and value. What kind of viewer was Ford imagining for the drawing? Curator: That's the vital question, isn’t it? Was she thinking of designers, craftspeople, or even a general audience newly sensitized to the role of designed items in daily life by the emergence of the industrial age? It is probably the designer's portfolio for commissions to various segments of society to get hired for certain contracts in home improvement and functionality. Editor: This gives me a new perspective. It highlights the complex ways we value common, practical pieces of design. Thank you for expanding my views! Curator: My pleasure. Hopefully, we can now look around our current home in order to gain a fresh perspective of social impact.