Dinner Bell 1940

Here's William Kieckhofel's watercolor, "Dinner Bell." You can really see the hand of the artist in the soft washes and delicate lines, as if the bell itself is gently emerging from the paper. The muted palette, mostly browns and greens, gives it this aged, almost nostalgic feel. Look closely, and you’ll notice the rust around the edges of the iron yoke, created with thin layers of transparent paint, and how it contrasts with the solid form of the brass bell. It is amazing how Kieckhofel captures the texture of the metal, where the light hits it, and you almost feel you could reach out and touch it. The imperfections of the metal make the image feel like a memory. This feels like it could be part of a series of similar subjects. Think of Charles Demuth, who painted industrial subjects in a similarly realistic but stylized manner. But, regardless, it shows how everyday objects can be a source of beauty, and invites us to consider art as a way of appreciating the world around us.