Sketch of the Week: Chandelier Shadows

Over the course of a typical workday (as if such a thing exists), I try to walk through the galleries twice a day. It's an opportunity to get away from my desk, catch any fallen labels, stray dust, or other distractions, and most importantly, spend some time with the collection.

I was taking this daily stroll the other day when I noticed the some intriguing shadows that the chandeliers in Founders Gallery had cast upon the wall. The shadows reminded me of some examples of ceramic sculpture by Andrea Marquis that I had recently seen at the Philadelphia International Airport, which were themselves elaborations on cast shadows from a fig tree. Taking inspiration from her work, I sketched them on my phone:

Maybe it's an instance of pareidolia, but I see a dragon's face in those shadows. I have no idea what, if anything, I'll do with this, but it was a good instance of taking the time to really absorb and appreciate one's surroundings.