Candle Sconce c. 1936

E. Boyd’s watercolor painting of a candle sconce is an interesting study in the way decorative objects are also exercises in seeing. The palette is quite subdued, with indigo, brown and yellow that create a sense of weight and heft, as if the sconce were made of metal. What really jumps out is the overall patterning. Boyd uses stripes and geometric shapes to catch the light. The flat application of watercolor allows the surface to remain opaque, while the lines and marks give depth. Look at how the radiating lines of the star motif in the center, contrast with the parallel lines of the sconce’s rectangular arm. It reminds me a little of Hilma af Klint’s diagrams, or even some of Charles Burchfield’s visionary watercolors. It shows how abstraction can be found in the most unexpected places. Art is a conversation and Boyd speaks here of an ongoing preoccupation with light and form.