Pie Plate 1937

Eugene Shellady made this "Pie Plate" with paint on board; we don't know exactly when. Look at the outline around the central scene; it's uneven, and the colors are earthy. Everything is very deliberate and considered. Shellady makes every mark count. The surface of the "Pie Plate" is smooth, but the paint application is very thin in places, allowing the board beneath to peek through. There's an almost illustrative quality to the way Shellady has depicted the horse and rider, like something from a children's book. The colors are muted but charming, and the composition feels balanced despite its imperfections. That hand painted inscription "Lady Okle," is pure poetry! It's hard not to think of Henry Darger when looking at the work. Shellady’s piece invites multiple interpretations and embraces a certain wonderful ambiguity.