The merit in this drawing lies in the fact that the artist/student, Maggy Shell, went beyond the literal depiction of these still life 
objects. The realistic depiction of the canisters and the drapery is skilled enough, but that’s not what makes this drawing interesting.
What makes it interesting is that there are three distinct motifs: ellipse, chaos and triangle. The ellipses form a nice rhythm on the top layer. Under the ellipses comes the chaotic, 
cloud-like, wafting swoosh of the cloth. (Green) The precision of the ellipses and the indeterminacy of the cloth make for a dramatic contrast, one highlighting the other. The cloth, furthermore, is ambiguous: is supports the solid cylinders but at the same time appears to be insubstantial and not supported by anything. Ambiguity adds tension and tension is a good thing in art.
Enter the triangle, always a provocative shape. (Pink) Where does this come from? Two sources: 1) Among the cylinders there was a box with a partially open lid and under the white cloth there was some triangulation of additional fabric. 2) The imagination.
You guessed it, I’m rooting for #2. The dark triangles at the left and right edges of the drawing are pure invention. Notice how the triangles, pointing toward the center, focus your attention and keep you IN the composition. And it’s in the center that the geometry of the cylinders meets its opposite, the amorphous drift of drapery. We have a little drama here. So, of course, we pay attention. And paying attention is what the whole thing is about.
All contents copyright (C) 2010 Katherine Hilden. All rights reserved.
artamaze by Katherine Hilden 