Secretary c. 1938

Ernest Busenbark made 'Secretary' in a way that brings out the essence of the furniture through subtle watercolor washes. You can almost feel the hand of the maker in each carefully rendered detail. I wonder what it was like for Busenbark to create this? Maybe he was thinking about the history of craftsmanship and the interplay of form and function. The texture of the wood is so lovingly captured. There’s a warmth in the reddish-brown tones that speaks to the beauty of everyday objects, a reverence for functional design. See that central door with its decorative inlay? It's such a focal point, like a portal to another world. Busenbark here is in conversation with all sorts of artists and designers who find beauty in utility. It's like he is reminding us to slow down and appreciate the craftsmanship all around us. With this painting, he celebrates the art of seeing, thinking, and experiencing the beauty in the mundane.