Cranberry Harvesting Scoop c. 1942

William Frank painted this cranberry harvesting scoop, probably in watercolor, and it’s all about the beauty of simple tools. What strikes me is how Frank renders the texture of the wood, giving it a kind of warmth. You can almost feel the grain. The scoop itself looks like it’s seen some action, maybe a bit worn around the edges, which adds to its charm. It’s like he’s saying, “Hey, even the stuff we use every day has its own story to tell.” I keep coming back to the way Frank depicts the individual tines. Each one is slightly different, with its own little imperfections and variations in color. It’s almost like he’s giving each tine its own personality, and that attention to detail really makes the piece sing. There's a similar feel to some of Charles Sheeler's depictions of barns and industrial structures, a real celebration of the everyday. And like Sheeler, Frank shows us how much beauty can be found in the things we often overlook.