Plow and Plowpoint c. 1937

William Hoffman’s watercolor, “Plow and Plowpoint,” presents us with a humble farm tool, rendered with a tender hand. Look at the translucent washes of brown and pale sienna, capturing the grain of the wood and the patina of the metal. I imagine Hoffman carefully studying the plow, maybe even holding it, feeling its weight and form. He's looking at something that is also a tool that farmers used, an important aspect of American rural life and economy. His focus isn’t on romanticizing rural life, but on honoring the simple beauty and utility of this object. The watercolor gives it an ethereal quality, almost like a memory or a dream. It reminds me of those folk artists who painted everyday objects, elevating them through careful observation and depiction. There’s something deeply human about taking the time to really see something, to understand its place in the world, and to share that vision with others.