Man's Dancing Shoe c. 1936

Ann Gene Buckley made this watercolor painting of a "Man's Dancing Shoe", and it feels like it could have been yesterday. The colors are rich and earthy, and the way she's layered them shows a real understanding of the material, the way it behaves. Look at the dark, velvety black of the toe and heel, it is such a contrast to the rusted reddish-brown of the instep. Buckley teases out the details with touches of gold and delicate tassels, so playful! It's like she's showing off the shoe's personality. The decorative features feel especially tactile, like they are popping off the surface and are made of unusual materials like felt, wool or even cardboard. You could almost imagine someone wearing this, dancing the night away, and maybe that’s the point – art isn’t just about what you see, but about what you feel and imagine. This reminds me of Elizabeth Murray’s paintings, where ordinary objects take on a life of their own.