Camp Lamp c. 1939

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.