Blacksmith's Measuring Wheel c. 1939

Edward L. Loper painted this "Blacksmith's Measuring Wheel" with watercolor, resulting in a composition that feels very precise. I can almost imagine Loper- the patience it must have taken to render the wood grain of the handle! Each stroke seems carefully placed, building up the form gradually, with such restraint. It makes you wonder what he was thinking about as he painted. Was he interested in the texture and weight of the wheel itself, or in the way light plays across its surface? I'm drawn to the brown tonality and the way he captures the objectness of this tool, giving it so much attention, as if it held some deeper significance for him. There's something about the stillness of the image that invites you to slow down and contemplate the object. It reminds us that artists are always in conversation with one another, across time and space. Painting can be a form of embodied expression, embracing ambiguity and allowing for multiple interpretations.