Churn c. 1936

Frank Fumagalli’s ‘Churn’ looks like it was made with watercolor or gouache, judging by those soft edges and diluted washes. I wonder if he knew that making butter was such a labor-intensive process? Perhaps he was attracted to the churn's form, its simple utility, or the repetitive motion needed to transform milk into butter. I could imagine him being fascinated by the slowness, the patience required. The muted browns and reds suggest a rustic, earthy feel. The churn seems sturdy and worn, with the details of the wood grain showing through the paint. It's got these simple forms, the way the cylinders stack on top of each other that give a sense of volume. You can feel the weight of it. I think Fumagalli was inviting us to slow down, too, to appreciate the beauty in the everyday and the labor that goes into simple things. Painting and churning, both need a lot of time. Art is an ongoing conversation; each artist builds on the work of those who came before, finding new ways to express universal themes. Painting can embrace ambiguity, inviting multiple interpretations.