-Be Wise c. 1912 - 1929

This little owl, titled "Be Wise," was made by the A.C. Williams Company, though exactly when remains a bit of a mystery. It’s cast in metal, maybe iron or bronze, and what I love is the way it feels both solid and a little rough, like it’s been handled a lot. The surface isn't perfectly smooth; there are tiny bumps and ridges, especially around the base where the owl sits on a tree stump. It gives the piece character, a kind of earthy realness. And look closely – the dark brown color has hints of red coming through, like it’s been weathered by time. It reminds me that art isn't just about looking pretty; it's about process, about the way materials change and evolve. I think about the work of someone like Elie Nadelman, another artist who explored form and surface in really tactile ways. This owl, in its own humble way, speaks to that same conversation, that ongoing exchange of ideas about what it means to see and to feel.