Bandbox c. 1953

Arsen Maralian made this bandbox, with the image of Sandy Hook, sometime in the 20th century. It's giving me nautical vibes, like a daydream on a stormy afternoon. The colors are muted, almost like a faded memory. The strokes, though, they’re pretty bold. The artist doesn't fuss too much with details, letting the colors and shapes do the talking. You can tell it's handmade, right? Like you can almost feel the maker's hand moving across the surface. Look at the lighthouse. The way it's rendered, it almost looks like a kid's drawing, but there's something so direct and honest about it. It reminds me of Milton Avery, the way he simplified forms and used color to create a mood. There's a conversation happening between these artists, across time and space, about how we see and represent the world around us. It's like they're saying, "Hey, let's not overthink it, let's just make something."