Barrel Lock c. 1939

This watercolor of a "Barrel Lock" comes to us from the hand of C. Milford Lee. I love how he's captured this humble, everyday object with such care. Look at the layers of brown and copper tones he’s built up. Can’t you just feel the weight and texture of the metal? The way the hook hangs open, ready to clamp down, it’s like the painting is also a little drawing, which is just, you know, really really cool. I bet Lee was fascinated by the play of light on its surface and maybe even a bit about the mechanics of it, the simple, strong design. As an artist myself, I find that kind of thing, functional tools, really inspiring. It’s about looking closely, seeing the beauty in the mundane, and then sharing that vision. It’s a conversation across time.