Memorial Ring c. 1937

Michael Fenga's Memorial Ring is a watercolor and graphite piece, and it feels almost like a tender thought sketched onto paper. What strikes me first is the openness around the ring. Fenga allows the object to sit amidst this wide field, which, in turn, amplifies the delicate details of the ring itself. Looking closer, the watercolor is applied with a light touch, transparent washes creating depth and form without overpowering the under-drawing in graphite. There's a quietness to the color palette – golds, grays, and soft greens – that speaks to a sense of memory and reverence. It reminds me a little of Joseph Stella’s botanical drawings, where the artist’s attention to detail and humble appreciation for the form invite the viewer to pause and contemplate the beauty found in overlooked corners. Art, like memory, is an ongoing conversation, full of whispers and echoes.