I have been asked to do a commission of an antique typewriter. Antiques like this intrigue me. Each has such a history, and this typewriter arrived at my studio with an aura of mystery.

It was shipped to me from Lee Center, New York, in the Foot Hills of the Adirondacks. From the condition of the case and the hay stalks imbedded in the keys, I can only assume it had been stored in someone's barn for decades. With a compact, folding design made for traveling, the typewriter was probably someone's prize possession at one time. Possibly the first person of an Adirondack family to get a college education. Maybe taken in trade by a farmer in a deal with a writer just passing through the area. My imagination wanders.

So, I cleaned up the typewriter the best I could, and rubbed a little oil on the metal parts to make them shine. I purposefully painted the antique as if it was new. I love the patterns of light glowing on metal. My commission customer was pleased.

Now, the typewriter sits in my studio with my other painting props. I just like looking at it, but will probably create several more artworks from it in time. For now, I enjoy thinking about where it has been and what it has seen for the last one hundred years.