Mechanical Penny Bank: Owl c. 1939

E.J. Gilsleider made this painting of a mechanical penny bank, featuring an owl perched on a tree stump. I love the texture! You can almost feel the rough carving of the owl's feathers and the bark on the stump. I wonder if Gilsleider had the actual penny bank in front of them while painting this, meticulously capturing every detail, every little groove and shadow? The warm, earthy tones give it a cozy, nostalgic feel, like an old folk tale. That owl's gaze feels so intense, doesn't it? The way Gilsleider rendered those eyes, you can tell they were really trying to capture the essence of this wise, old creature. There's something so charming about the way folk artists like Gilsleider approach their work. It’s a direct, honest kind of expression, like they're channeling something ancient and essential. It reminds me of the work of Joseph Yoakum, another artist who had this incredible ability to tap into the magic of the everyday. Ultimately, we're all just trying to make sense of the world, one brushstroke at a time, and passing on the spark.