Bandbox c. 1940

This enchanting Bandbox, made by Marie Lutrell, invites you to peek into her whimsical world, doesn't it? It's all done with these soft watercolor washes and delicate brushstrokes. The surface has this lovely texture – it's almost like you can feel the paper grain beneath the paint. Look at the horizontal striations in the ground of the painting. They give the impression of atmosphere, of outer space, or of the vastness of a desert landscape. And the way she's layered the colors? A beautiful, semi-transparent blue to convey the vast expanse of the night sky. Her marks are so direct and economical – nothing is overworked. I'm reminded of Forrest Bess here. It's that same feeling of openness to the unknown, that willingness to embrace the mystical. Lutrell’s work is a reminder that art doesn't always have to be about answers; sometimes, it's just about the questions, about seeing the world in a new light.