Iron Grille at Window: Restoration Drawing c. 1936

This 'Iron Grille at Window' drawing by Harry Mann Waddell is an intimate study. I imagine the artist carefully observing the play of light and shadow on the aged ironwork. Look how Waddell uses simple lines to define the curves and intricacies of the design. You can almost feel the cool, rough texture of the metal and stone. I feel a sense of calm focus in his work, and I wonder if he was drawn to the way the grille creates a barrier, a screen between the interior and exterior worlds. The soft washes of color give the drawing a dreamlike quality, as if we're peering into a memory. And it makes me want to go outside and look at the world. That's what art should do. Anyway, Harry Mann Waddell is one of those artists who reminds us that even the most mundane things are beautiful and full of stories when you really look. Artmaking is like an exchange across time. Artists inspire each other, riff off each other's ideas, and keep the conversation going.