Cowboy's Hackamore Bit 1935 - 1942

This watercolor painting of a "Cowboy's Hackamore Bit" was made by Cecil Smith, who was born way back in 1855. Just think of Smith, hunched over a table, carefully applying these thin washes of brown, and grey, trying to get the shine just right on the metal. I can almost feel the textures of the different materials—the braided rawhide, the aged leather, and the cold, hard steel. It is a still life, but not really. It's like a portrait of a tool, a tribute to the cowboy's life, all done with such care. What was Smith thinking about as he painted this? Was he remembering a particular horse, a long ride, or just the simple beauty of a well-made object? Painters have always been inspired by the things around them, picking up where the last one left off. There's a conversation happening across time and place. It is like a big, messy, beautiful painting party.