Bootjack 1935 - 1942

Isabelle De Strange made this bootjack in watercolor on paper, and what strikes me right away is how lovingly she renders the wood grain. It’s not just about copying what’s there, but also about the act of translation, right? You’re taking a three-dimensional object and turning it into something flat, but also something new. Look at the way the artist used thin washes to build up the color. She’s creating depth and form, but also letting the paper breathe. And those subtle shifts in tone, from warm browns to cooler grays—they give the wood a real sense of weight and presence. It’s as if she’s trying to capture not just the object itself, but its history, its very essence. It reminds me a bit of some of those early American folk artists, like Joseph Badger, who were also interested in depicting the everyday objects around them. But De Strange brings her own sensibility to it, a kind of quiet reverence for the things we use and the materials they’re made of. It's a testament to how art can find beauty and meaning in the most unexpected places.