Flatiron c. 1938

William Spiecker painted this Flatiron and stand, and who knows when exactly, but it's a painting of a thing, a really everyday thing, that someone would have actually used. The colours are muted, almost monochrome, but the way Spiecker handles the tones, makes it zing. It's all about the subtle shifts in value, creating depth, a little bit like Morandi. The handle of the iron looks so tactile, you can almost feel the warmth of the wood. There's this real attention to detail, each little curve and shadow carefully observed. Look at the way he's rendered the iron's surface, with these delicate layers of paint. It's not just about replicating what he sees, it's about understanding the object, how it sits in space, how the light catches it. I think I love the stand even more than the iron, with it's curlicues and heart shapes, it’s like the iron is a Valentine. It reminds me that art can be found in the most unexpected places, even in the humble objects that surround us, and it's a reminder that art is really just another word for paying attention.