Toy Iron c. 1939

LeRoy Griffith made this piece, "Toy Iron," with watercolor and graphite, and it's like he's inviting us to look at something utterly ordinary in a new way. The color palette is very limited and earthy, which gives a sense of warmth. What I love about this is how Griffith focuses on the texture. Look at how he renders the surface of the iron. It's not just smooth metal; you can almost feel the slight roughness, the imperfections. It reminds me that artmaking is a process of layering, of building up detail, of seeing beyond the surface. And notice how the handle curves so elegantly, almost like a swan's neck. Griffith wasn't just copying an object. He was seeing its potential for grace, its hidden beauty. For me, the way Griffith approaches the everyday is very similar to Giorgio Morandi’s still life paintings. It asks us to find the extraordinary in the ordinary.