Conestoga Wagon Jacks c. 1941

Nicholas Amantea made this watercolor drawing of Conestoga Wagon Jacks sometime during his life, which ended in 1978. He seems to be using a limited palette of browns and grays, with just enough color to describe the rust and wood grain. Look at how he renders the surface! The metal is rough and pitted, while the wood feels solid and worn. It's like he's trying to capture not just what these objects look like, but how they feel. I'm especially drawn to the handle – the dark, swirling form really pops against the lighter wood. You can feel the artist turning the crank with his hand. It reminds me of some of the drawings that Philip Guston did toward the end of his life, in the way that he's celebrating everyday objects. Amantea takes a simple tool and elevates it to something beautiful, showing us the artistry in the mundane. Much like the drawings of Joseph Yoakum, these types of artworks remind us that anyone can be an artist and art is everywhere.