Studio Interior 1938

George Ault created this watercolour painting of a "Studio Interior", and it's interesting to see how he approaches mark-making with such precision. There's a real stillness to this piece, which comes from the transparency of the watercolour, and that super clean palette, of white, wood and a pop of red. It feels like a silent breath held in paint. The red stove is so central, so solid and vibrant; it grounds the whole composition. Then you follow the black flue pipe that snakes upwards, a counterpoint to all the horizontals, all the straight lines of the stairs, and the floorboards and cladding. It adds a touch of the unexpected, a quirky, almost comical element. The way Ault uses watercolour reminds me of Edward Hopper, and his ability to evoke a mood with simple forms and muted colors. Both artists capture a certain kind of quiet loneliness, but also a sense of beauty in everyday scenes. It's like they're showing us how to see the poetry in the ordinary.