-Steamboat- still bank c. 1912 - 1929

This is a cast iron Steamboat still bank, made by the A.C. Williams Company. It’s so interesting to see how humble materials like iron can be transformed into something so evocative. The surface of this little boat is rough and uneven, with a warm, rusty tone that speaks to its age and history. There are hints of red, peeking through, like memories clinging to the surface. It feels almost geological, like a piece of the earth that has been shaped and molded. I'm really drawn to the wheel on the side. The way it’s rendered feels both precise and slightly off, creating a sense of movement and possibility. This little boat carries with it the weight of time, but also the lightness of a child’s imagination. It reminds me of some of Claes Oldenburg’s sculptures, how they turn the everyday into something monumental and strange. Artmaking, like this little steamboat, is an ongoing journey, full of unexpected turns and endless possibilities.