Cast Iron Pigeon c. 1936

Rex Bush made this watercolour drawing of a Cast Iron Pigeon. It’s rendered with simple, soft strokes in muted tones. You can almost feel him carefully observing the object, trying to capture the subtle nuances of its form with delicate washes of grey and white. I wonder what Rex was thinking when he chose this particular object to paint? Maybe he was drawn to its humble beauty or the way the light played across its surface? There's a certain stillness and quietude to the piece that I find very appealing, like a snapshot of a moment suspended in time. It’s intriguing because it's both a representation of something real, and a construction of something new. The way he's simplified the form of the pigeon, reducing it to its essential elements, reminds me a bit of folk art. Thinking about Rex's drawing makes me think about other artists working today who are similarly drawn to the everyday. It's a reminder that art can be found in the most unexpected places.