Horse Shoe Candle Holder c. 1939

John Swientochowski made this Horse Shoe Candle Holder drawing with graphite and watercolor. The subtle shifts in tone create a beautiful sense of depth, the artist coaxing the form into being. It feels like an act of gentle discovery. The texture is so important here, isn't it? See how the graphite captures the rough, worn surface of the horseshoe. The whole thing’s rendered in these earthy browns and grays, a humble palette that really suits the subject. My eye keeps returning to the base, where the horseshoe sits, solid and grounded, with these soft washes of color that make it feel almost like it’s breathing. You can almost feel the weight of it. It reminds me of some of Philip Guston’s later work, where he embraced a kind of raw, unrefined aesthetic. There’s a similar sense of honesty, a willingness to let the materials speak for themselves. It’s a reminder that art doesn’t always have to be polished or perfect, sometimes the most powerful works are the ones that embrace imperfection.