Ring Bit c. 1936

Harry Mann Waddell made this artwork ‘Ring Bit’ using what seems to be watercolor on paper. The restrained palette of silvery grays and blacks lends a kind of quiet intensity to this image of a horse bit. There’s a fascinating tension between the almost clinical precision of the drawing and the wild, untamed nature of its subject. The bit, rendered in meticulous detail, becomes almost abstract. Look at the circular plate; the artist shows a subtle play of light, lending it a three-dimensionality that’s almost sculptural. Then, the handle curves are decorated with an almost floral ornamentation, like a tattoo on metal. This one detail opens up a world of stories. The overall effect reminds me a little of the early work of Johns, or maybe Rauschenberg, an embrace of everyday objects elevated to art through careful observation and subtle transformation. It’s a reminder that art can be found in the most unexpected places if we only take the time to really look.