Tin Nicho with Santo Nino c. 1937

Margery Parish’s "Tin Nicho with Santo Nino" is a small watercolour on paper. It presents itself to me as a space of quiet, dedicated art making, a devotional space. The rendering is so gentle, the washes of colour bleed into the paper, creating a soft, atmospheric effect, almost dreamlike. The palette is muted, mostly blues, reds, and greys, which evokes a sense of serenity. The lines are precise but the colours soft, a really intriguing tension. Look how the artist has delineated the space: the walls and the figure within, but also how the decoration seems to blend them together. I’m really drawn to the small golden touches – the trims, the cape detail, the offering in the figure's hand. They don't scream for attention, but their presence speaks of reverence. It reminds me of the work of Hilma af Klint. Not in style but in spirit – a similar dedication to the creation of a private symbolism. Ultimately, art is such a conversation, isn't it? Parish's nicho seems like an invitation to join in, to contemplate, and to find the beauty in simplicity.