Grease Lamp c. 1941

Margaret Golden created this Grease Lamp sometime in her lifetime with what looks like watercolors on paper. It’s a beautifully observed rendering in shades of brown, rust, and grey. I imagine Golden, carefully studying this everyday object, thinking about the effects of time and oxidation. What does it mean to sit and really see something? It’s an act of care. Look at the small details! The chipped edges, and the way she suggests texture, making the medium almost tangible. It reminds me of Giorgio Morandi, and his still lifes of bottles. Both artists share a commitment to the quiet, meditative act of looking. They’re also transforming mundane objects into something poetic. Painting is a way of seeing, a conversation across time, a space for quiet contemplation.