Grain Scoop c. 1938

LeRoy Griffith made this study of a grain scoop, likely with watercolor, sometime in the 20th century. The palette here is earthy and warm, like a faded photograph, and the subject matter is rendered with careful attention to detail, giving it a kind of quiet dignity. The grain scoop is set against a blank background. Griffith has used thin washes of brown and tan to create subtle gradations of tone, describing the object's form and the way light catches on its surface. I love the way the textures are built up with delicate strokes, suggesting the rough feel of the wood and the worn patina of the metal. Notice the way the handle is rendered, it looks like two bones fused together. This approach reminds me of Charles Sheeler’s precise and reverent depictions of American industrial objects. There’s something about elevating the mundane, turning the ordinary into something worthy of contemplation. Like those early modernist painters, Griffith seems interested in finding beauty and meaning in the everyday objects that surround us. It shows us that anything can be a subject for art, and that art is, in part, about how we choose to see.