Nation's Finest, Gumball IV 1974

Charles Bell painted this photorealistic image of gumball machines, sometime before 1995. At first glance, it's all about hyper-clarity. But look closer: the way the light bounces off the plastic of those gumball containers, it's almost like a hazy dream. It's about surface, layers and layers of it. The color palette is pure Americana: bright primary colors, set against the muted tones of the metal casings. The texture's amazing—you can almost feel the slickness of the gumballs, the coldness of the metal. See how the reflections distort the shapes? Bell's totally messing with our perception, pushing the boundaries of realism. Bell's work reminds me a little of Wayne Thiebaud, another artist who takes everyday objects and turns them into something magical. It's like Bell is saying, "Hey, even the most ordinary things can be extraordinary, if you really look." And that’s a sweet thought, isn’t it?