Toy Bank: Bird c. 1937

George File made this watercolor, ink, and graphite drawing, *Toy Bank: Bird*. Look at the muted greens, grays, and browns, and imagine File hunched over the paper, carefully building up the image of the toy bank with delicate strokes. I wonder what it was like for him, recreating this object on a flat surface? The bird itself, perched and ready to take flight, sits above what looks like a nest of young birds. And the base! Mottled greens and browns, suggesting earth and growth. The color palette is so unusual. Why those colors? What was he trying to convey? Maybe File was thinking about his own childhood, or the simple joys of saving and play, connecting to other painters through their work. The exchange of ideas across time—it's how we keep the conversation going, pushing each other to see the world in new ways, embracing ambiguity, and finding meaning in the unexpected.