Tie-back c. 1939

Helen Bronson made this rendering of a tie-back with paint, sometime between 1855 and 1995. I can feel her curiosity about the form and structure of this object; the process of really looking, of trying to understand what it is she's seeing, must have taken time. I like how she's approached the light, the blue, and the material quality of the glass. The blue feels like a memory. I can imagine her pausing, thinking, squinting, trying to find the right color. There are subtle hints of red or yellow in the metalwork, making it more alive. When I look at this, I think about other artists also looking at the stuff of the world; it's a shared language. Painters have always looked at other painter’s paintings. This is part of how art evolves; through a dialogue that spans decades, even centuries. In this way, art making is a social practice, shaped through conversation, inspiration, and the ongoing exchange of ideas.