Bullet Mold 1942

This is Fred Hassebrock’s watercolor of a bullet mold. What’s compelling is its straightforward simplicity, that it exists as a way to consider an everyday object. I am an artist, I make paintings, and I often find myself drawn to art that highlights the making and the physical involvement of the artist with the work. The way Hassebrock has painted the Bullet Mold makes me think about the intimacy of his artistic practice. The way that he must have looked at this tool for what must have been hours to accurately render it. It’s interesting that he chose this object in particular. What was he trying to say? I am fascinated by how an artist's choice of subject matter can shape the meaning of a work, transforming something ordinary into an expression of broader cultural values. I can imagine Hassebrock, surrounded by his tools, finding beauty in the mundane and using his art to connect with his world.