As much as I enjoy a long, lazy summer, I’ve always been excited about September and the beginning the new school year. As a teacher for many years that meant back to work. In honor of that, this month’s mini gallery is dedicated to work, specifically in The Office.
Although some may consider this time of year a sad change of seasons, I was always the nerd excited to get back to school. I loved (still love!) seeing all the fresh school supplies in stores. The chance to get new crayons, pens, copybooks, maybe a cool folder, even if I didn’t need them, was a tantalizing temptation. I always wanted my office space to start out fresh. With so many home offices these days, I hope you can relate to this group of paintings.
Some years before I retired from teaching, a new principal started at our school. Walking into her office a few days after her arrival, I was awe struck by the magnificent Woodstock typewriter that she had set up there. After a hurried introduction as the art teacher, I couldn’t help but blurt how I would love to use the typewriter as the subject of a painting. Luckily, she didn’t think I was a complete nut job, and was happy to oblige. I had a photo session like it was a fashion model, and jumped into my painting with gusto! A few hours in and I realized how incredibly difficult it was to create an entire keyboard of an old-fashioned typewriter in two-point perspective. (Aaagghh!!) What was I thinking!? Many grueling weeks later, after countless revisions, the job was done. I finally felt that I had captured this beautiful piece of craftsmanship. And the fantastic ending of this story is that when the principal retired, she gifted me the Woodstock!! It now sits proudly in my home office.
Being of a certain age, I grew up with a Black Desktop telephone in my house. No fancy color ones for us. When my mother passed away in 2012, she still had and used that same phone. And as crazy as it may seem to some, I can see why. There is something really satisfying in holding that receiver, feeling its weight, stretching out that long curling cord, methodically dialing each letter and number of the person you intended to talk with. It was an act of consciousness, not a nano-second tap on the smartphone. (Admittedly, in my case, it gave me that much more time to be terribly anxious to make the call.) Despite that personal issue, I feel that the Black Desktop is the quintessential office tool, for all 20 th century businesses anyway. It has such a classic design, especially in black, perfectly curved and proportioned, ready for business. This one sits on a desk in my living room, and still provides lots of dialing fun for my grandkids.
No office space would be complete without a stapler, and the Swingline stapler is king of that hill. They come in a variety of colors, and over the years the shape and size shifted some, but the design sensibility has stayed intact. The most famous Swingline is probably the much revered yet elusive red Swingline in the movie Office Space. The one that I’ve chosen to paint from my stapler collection is much older than that one. It’s a classic tannish gray (when offices couldn’t be flashy!) Like the typewriter and the phone, it has weight, feels hefty in your hand. It exudes confidence that it will get the job done for years to come. I’ve had this one my whole adult life. To honor this hard-working tool, I’ve placed it on a piece of marble for the painting. Both are beautiful, old and solid, and will last for years.
Rubber Stamps are something that I admittedly haven’t used much, (I’m not that old of a teacher!) but I find them intriguing. I found this tin of them in my old school when they were clearing out some storage rooms. Everything about their appearance appealed to me the minute I spied them. They have shiny black wooden handles, carefully balanced over a smaller base with an assortment of words and directives embossed onto their rubber ends. To complete the effect for painting purposes, they were thrown this way and that into a beautiful dented tin that also held some big old rubberbands. What more could a girl ask for! I knew immediately that these would end up in a painting. I love the contrast of the dark stamps against the bright silver of the tin. Placing them on the black and white porcelain topped table in my studio completed the vintage look I wanted to convey. And best of all, I can stamp things like “PAST DUE” wherever I want now.
Bringing up the rear in this series is the Boston Model L pencil sharpener. Although it may not seem as glamorous as some of the other things here, this is the tool I use the most. In fact, I have three of these mounted in my home: one in my studio, one in my basement, and one in my husband’s workshop. How can a body function without one?! I know! I know! You all use mechanical pencils now. Not me. I want a real pencil and this is the way I keep it sharp. Like the other tools in these paintings, it’s not flashy. I’m good with that. Give me solid design and utility over flash any day. I’ve painted it where it sits, quietly unassuming in front of my shelves of “modern” art supplies like the spray varnish shown. Office space complete and ready for business!
Check out availability of paintings and prints in the Vintage Finds section of the online store.