Starboard Light 1935 - 1942

Eugene Bartz made this drawing of a lamp at some point in his long life, though we don't know exactly when. It looks like watercolor or maybe gouache on paper. The first thing that strikes me is the colour – this muted green, almost moss-like, covering the metal. It's not a shiny, new object; it has a history, you know? See how Bartz layers the paint, suggesting the rough texture and the corrosion on the metal? I love the little details, like the delicate chain holding the door. I like the way the dark blue glass glows from within, and how the paint creates a sense of depth. There’s something about this straightforward depiction of the object that reminds me of those early American folk artists, the way they rendered everyday objects with such care and precision. But unlike those paintings, there’s a quiet intimacy here, a sense of personal connection between the artist and his subject. Like the best paintings, it shows how something ordinary can become extraordinary when you really pay attention.