Miniature Oxcart c. 1939

This Miniature Oxcart was rendered in watercolor by Eugene Bartz, sometime between 1855 and 1955. The way Bartz handles watercolor here is great, it reminds me that artmaking is just a process; a step-by-step construction. Looking closely, there’s so much to see in this little scene. The muted palette of browns, greens, and grays gives everything a kind of aged, almost ghostly quality. The paint is applied in thin washes, allowing the texture of the paper to come through. It’s in the details – the way the light catches the curve of an ox’s back, or the subtle folds in the canvas covering the wagon – that the piece really comes alive. I keep coming back to those oxen, solid and dependable. It reminds me of Erastus Salisbury Field, or maybe even some contemporary artists like Chris Ofili, who also embrace the handmade and aren't afraid of mixing it up. And, just like that, the conversation continues, doesn't it? Art isn't about answers; it’s about the questions we ask along the way.