Pencil is a simple tool. It should be one of the six simple machines. Or a wonder of the world. Look at what has come out of the end of pencil.

It's one of the smallnesses that works.

Pencil drawing is a very soothing and satisfying activity for me. I teach drawing at the Audubon House and Gardens Museum and I am always amazed at how easily people settle into drawing. They fidget and protest they can't draw a straight line, haven't tried it since childhood, blah blah blah. Within 20 minutes, there they are drawing and completely absorbed in it.

It is very meditative. Even the kids racing in after school, clamoring to set up their equipment and catching up with each other's days, quickly calm themselves and give in to the mystery of the pencil as though it were a magic wand.

This is a drawing I did last night instead of painting.