Candlestick c. 1938

This little watercolor of a candlestick was made by Eldon Allen. It's unassuming, isn't it? But what I love about paintings like this is how they make us slow down. I can almost feel Allen's hand as he carefully layers the washes of color, building up the form of the candlestick, stroke by stroke. There is something very still about this painting. It's not flashy, but it has a kind of quiet dignity. He must have been a patient man, and I wonder what his days were like. What made him want to paint this ordinary thing? Was he trying to preserve something? Maybe he just liked the way the light hit the metal. Painting lets us be with the world in a different way. It allows us to really see things, to appreciate the beauty in the everyday. And in turn, we see each other better.