Camp Lamp

Albert Rudin made this watercolour, Camp Lamp, but we don't know when! What strikes me is how he has used the paint so thinly. It's almost like a stain, allowing the paper to breathe through. The lamp itself, with its warm browns and metallic fittings, feels like a memory. Rudin's delicate washes give a sense of the lamp being aged, like a well loved and well used object. The slight inconsistencies in the application of the washes give it a handmade feel. Look closely at the little golden chicken on top of the lamp. It's so carefully observed, adding a touch of whimsy to an otherwise functional object. It reminds me of Charles Burchfield, who also painted the everyday world with a sense of quiet reverence. With both artists, their paintings remind us that art can be found in the most unexpected places, and beauty in the most humble of objects.