Bell 1935 - 1942

William Kieckhofel made this image of a bell with watercolor, and what strikes me is the straightforward way he approaches the subject. The marks are direct, without fuss, and the color palette is subdued, giving it a sense of honesty. It really makes you think about artmaking as a process of bearing witness. Looking closer, the material aspects of the work speak volumes. The texture is built up with layers, creating a sense of depth and weight, but the thinness of the watercolor creates a beautiful transparency. You can see the paper beneath the pigment. Notice the rough edges around the bell's form. It's not about perfection; it's about capturing the essence. This reminds me a bit of some of Charles Sheeler's industrial subjects. While Sheeler was more formal, both artists share a fascination with the beauty of everyday objects. Ultimately, art embraces ambiguity, allowing for multiple interpretations. This bell, in its simplicity, invites us to contemplate the beauty of ordinary things and the stories they hold.