Pilot House Ornament c. 1939

Mary E. Humes made this Pilot House Ornament with watercolor paint on paper. The way she uses color is really something. The blues feel deep and nautical, but then there’s this warm peach tone on the face that brings it all back to earth. Looking at the face, it's impossible not to notice the cracks across the surface. She's letting us know that time leaves its mark, even on the sturdiest of figures, the ornament itself. The gold details, like those swirling flourishes at the base, have this kind of playful opulence, almost like icing on a cake. Humes has such a delicate touch; the colors are soft, and the edges are gentle. It reminds me a bit of those old-school illustrations, where the line between reality and fantasy blurs a little. It makes me think of someone like Joseph Stella, with his ability to find the extraordinary in the everyday. What's really interesting is how Humes reminds us that art isn’t just about making something beautiful; it’s about capturing a moment.