Zoar Flute Recorder c. 1938

Jerry Guinta painted this Zoar Flute Recorder sometime in the 20th century. The smooth, almost mechanical way the artist has captured the recorder in paint suggests a deep engagement with his subject. There's a real joy in the process here, right? It’s like he’s breathing life into an object, which is kind of what a musician does, right? The paint is applied in these thin, even layers, which to me emphasizes the sleekness of the wood, the delicate curves and joins of the metalwork. Look at how the artist details each hole, each tiny imperfection, with such care. There is a real clarity in the tonal range of the brown. It is like the painting itself has the capacity to make music. The precision in Guinta’s work reminds me of those American precisionist painters, like Charles Sheeler. But there's something more tender about Guinta’s eye; perhaps because he is not making artworks about factories, but rather something more personal, an instrument. Art is just a big conversation, don't you think? Always riffing, always answering each other.