Butter Mold c. 1937

This is Wilbur M Rice's watercolor of a butter mold, about this big. You know, I’m thinking about Wilbur, standing there, brush in hand, trying to capture this humble kitchen tool. What do you focus on? Look at how meticulously he renders the wood grain. It's almost like a love letter to the everyday. And the care he took with the pineapple design at the bottom, that’s a nice touch. It reminds me that even the most functional objects can be beautiful, or at least, contain a little beauty if you bother to look. It’s not flashy, but there’s a quiet dedication in the act of painting it, just as there’s a dedication in the original carving of the mold. I bet Wilbur knew that. He's making a record, preserving something for future generations. The simplicity of it all—it's kind of charming, don't you think?