Sheet Iron Lantern c. 1938

Isabelle De Strange made this watercolor drawing of a sheet iron lantern, date unknown. What strikes me first is its dedication to craft. The paper is stained with the tones of timeworn metal, and there’s a real interest in how light might radiate from this thing. De Strange’s delicate brushwork lends the lantern a gentle patina, its age and history etched into the surface. The marks are not just descriptive; they embody the object’s essence, its resilience and quiet beauty. Look at the tiny, repetitive perforations, each one meticulously rendered. It’s a celebration of handmade objects. This approach brings to mind the work of Charles Burchfield, another artist who found inspiration in the mundane. Like Burchfield, De Strange finds the extraordinary in the ordinary, elevating simple objects to symbols of endurance and beauty. Art is about noticing things, really noticing them.