Zoar Apple Hook c. 1937

Fritz Boehmer made this watercolour of a Zoar Apple Hook. Just look at the way the tool stretches across the page. I can imagine Boehmer’s curiosity as he studied the object, figuring out how to represent its weight and form. The browns and greys are layered so carefully, almost tenderly, to capture the metallic sheen and wooden texture of the hook. It is fascinating to see the ordinary rendered with such attention. Boehmer might have been thinking about how we connect with our tools, the implements that extend our reach, the ways that objects shape our everyday lives, just like brushes do for painters. Painters and makers of all kinds are constantly inspired by each other. There's this exchange that goes on, across time, materials, and ideas. This piece reminds us that even the simplest object, rendered on paper, can be a starting point for big ideas.