Fruit Knife c. 1939

Frank M. Keane made this watercolor of a knife sometime before 1941. The color is so subtle, so close in value to the paper, that it’s almost like a ghost of a knife. And the way he's painted it, so carefully, so delicately, really makes you focus on the shape and form. Look at the way Keane used thin washes of color to build up the form of the knife. There’s a kind of transparency to the paint, allowing the light to pass through, giving it a subtle glow. But, also, the layering of color creates a sense of depth and volume, so the knife feels weighty somehow. Notice how the edge of the knife isn't one clean line but a series of small, deliberate strokes, this little wobble adds a sense of character, like the knife has been used, loved even. It reminds me of Giorgio Morandi, with his still lives of bottles and jars, finding beauty in the mundane, elevating the everyday to something sacred. Like Morandi, Keane invites us to slow down, to really see the world around us, and to find joy in the simple things. Art isn't about answers, it's about questions, and about the ongoing conversation between artists and viewers.