Swinging Fan c. 1937

Al Curry's "Swinging Fan," is rendered in watercolor and graphite on paper. I like how Al takes an ordinary domestic object like a fan and turns it into something so visually compelling. It kind of reminds me of some of those old scientific drawings, or maybe even folk art, with a slightly skewed perspective and a real attention to detail. You can almost feel the air moving as you look at it. I wonder what Al was thinking when he made it? Was he fascinated by the mechanics of the fan, or was it more about capturing a sense of everyday life? There's a quietness to it, a stillness that invites you to really look. I can imagine him, brush in hand, carefully rendering each little detail. It reminds us that art is all around us, in the most unexpected places, and it invites us to see the world with fresh eyes.