Bracket, for Wall (Ecclesiastical) 1939

Hal Blakeley made this drawing of a bracket, for a wall, in a muted palette of pinks, creams, and browns. It feels like a record, but it’s also a proposal, a flight of fancy, conjuring an ideal form. I love the delicate watercolor washes and the linear details. It's as if Blakeley is feeling out the contours of this object. There’s a funny tension between the flatness of the drawing and the illusion of three-dimensionality. Look at the swirly, wood-grain effect on the top of the bracket. The way it’s been rendered gives it this almost psychedelic quality. There's something so tender and thoughtful about this drawing. It reminds me of the work of Charles Burchfield, who imbued everyday architecture with a similar sense of wonder. Ultimately, art is about this kind of dialogue, the way artists riff off of each other across time. There are no easy answers, just ongoing conversations.