Spur c. 1937

Curator: So, before us, we have Vera Van Voris’ "Spur," created around 1937 using watercolor and colored pencil. Editor: Wow. I mean, that's unexpectedly… intimate? Like a portrait. I keep thinking about touch and wear – the leather's softness, the sharp edges of that starburst on the spur. Curator: The rendering indeed is precise. These details place us within particular socio-economic contexts, particularly of ranching and horsemanship dominant at that time. What are the cultural associations? How were objects like this used, who was given access? What gender or racial implications are here? Editor: Okay, but first... the gleam! Van Voris really captured the cold hardness of the metal. It’s almost aggressive set against the warm, weathered leather of the boot attachment. I picture a glint of sun just before dusk, dust motes hanging in the air of a stable… Curator: It's also useful to consider depictions of the West during this period, not as nostalgic or simplistic renderings, but through their complex associations with labor, migration, and conflict over land and resources. How might her female gaze confront assumptions within what's often framed as a very male-dominated activity? Editor: That is an interesting question. She invites us in, gets so close to what can easily turn into caricature. What I love is this tenderness. But also that you bring up assumptions about a masculine narrative – her way of capturing it is what makes it feel so personal. Curator: Looking at it from today's perspective encourages questioning whose stories are told. What value does the act of close, detailed observation hold when considering this object beyond simply what is represents. Editor: So, Van Voris offers a chance to notice, with the intimacy and precision of watercolour, a complex interplay: brutality and beauty, wear and durability. Curator: A reminder that art doesn't exist in a vacuum. Editor: Definitely leaves more to consider. A very unassuming painting.