Cast Iron Balcony Rail c. 1936

Al Curry’s “Cast Iron Balcony Rail” is a sepia-toned glimpse of architectural detail that captures a sense of place and time. It’s like a memory, or maybe a dream, rendered in delicate washes of color. I can imagine Curry standing before this balcony, brush in hand, carefully mapping the intricacies of the ironwork. Did he feel the sun on his back as he painted? Was he trying to capture not just the look, but also the feel of this place? The texture of the old brick, the shadows cast by the shutters... It reminds me of other artists who’ve been drawn to the beauty of the everyday, like Edward Hopper or Charles Burchfield. There’s a quiet poetry in Curry’s work, a sense of stillness and contemplation. The piece reminds us that beauty can be found in the most unexpected places if we take the time to truly see. Artists like Al Curry and so many others are in an ongoing conversation, inspiring each other across time and space.