Pa. German Treen Double Butter Stamp c. 1938

Curator: This drawing, done in watercolor and charcoal, captures two Pa. German treen double butter stamps made around 1938. The artist is Archie Thompson. Editor: Oh, I adore these! They're so unassuming, yet the simple geometry and warm wooden tones have such a rustic charm. Like talismans for the kitchen, wouldn't you say? Curator: Certainly! Looking at their materiality as crafted objects really illuminates the process and production of domestic work. Consider the wood used; likely locally sourced, connecting the objects to the specific land and resources available to the maker. And then the labor involved... Editor: Absolutely, the labour! I imagine the quiet focus, carving those tiny decorative details. It's an act of love, really, imbuing something so practical with beauty. Makes me wonder, were these for everyday use, or were they also saved as keepsakes? Curator: More likely for daily use but as folk-art the production moves from strictly functional objects into aesthetic statements and reflects both individual and community taste. The double stamp, offering different patterns, showcases both efficiency and a concern with presentation. Editor: Right! It elevates butter, of all things, to an art form! Each pat, a little canvas. It speaks to that wonderful, resourceful nature of folk art: finding beauty and expression in the everyday. A way of marking the meal and ritualising the gathering with a stamp of love. Curator: Exactly. The repetition of such designs, the social transmission of the motifs...it connects personal artistry to a shared visual culture, making it about so much more than the act of production. Editor: I'll never look at butter the same way again. Makes you realize beauty can be found anywhere, especially where it’s least expected. Curator: Precisely. Reflecting on the life cycle of labor, use, and consumption enriches not only the object, but us too.