Bishop Hill: Flail c. 1939

Archie Thompson made this watercolor of a flail on paper, and it's the kind of image that makes me think about how art helps us see the world around us. Look at how Thompson handled the tones and textures to bring this object to life. It’s not just a flail; it's a meditation on form, shadow, and the subtle beauty of everyday objects. I can almost feel the weight of the wood, imagine the artist studying the grain, mixing just the right wash to capture its essence. I bet Thompson was really trying to get at the core of what it meant to see and represent something honestly. There's a conversation happening, a dialogue between the artist and his subject, that transcends time. It's about looking closely, feeling deeply, and finding your own way to express what you see.