Mortar and Pestle c. 1940

Paul Poffinbarger rendered this Mortar and Pestle with what looks like watercolor on paper. It's like he’s saying: slow down, look at this. I love the way the subdued, earthy tones create a sense of quiet contemplation, and the mortar and pestle almost float against the paper, like a memory. You can almost feel the artist's breath and the pressure of the brush, as Poffinbarger builds up the form through layering of pigment, coaxing the objects into being. There's something about the slightly off-kilter perspective that gives it a real sense of intimacy, as if we're peering into the artist's studio, catching a glimpse of the tools they use to grind spices or mix pigments. We painters, we're all in conversation with each other, across time and space. Poffinbarger’s way of looking, of taking the everyday and making it extraordinary, inspires me to slow down and really see the world around me with new eyes.