Fireside Bellows c. 1937

Grace Halpin rendered this drawing of Fireside Bellows with graphite and colored pencil on paper. The linear quality and muted palette speak to a process of careful observation, typical for early American design drawings. What strikes me is the graphic quality of the floral designs in red and black against the ochre ground of the bellows. The artist emphasizes the flat, decorative patterns rather than attempting to create a three-dimensional illusion. The original object must have been so tactile: leather, wood, metal and fabric, yet here, the artist collapses those textures into a single surface. The drawing reminds me of the work of contemporary artists like Jim Nutt, who found inspiration in folk art. Halpin’s piece reminds us that art is a conversation across time, always looking back and reinterpreting the past with fresh eyes.