Coffee Mill c. 1940

Clarence W. Dawson made this small watercolor called "Coffee Mill" sometime between 1855 and 1995. It's interesting because the approach is so direct. It feels like a study, an observation of something right in front of him. The color palette is limited, almost monochromatic, focusing on the browns and ochres of the old mill. The layering of the watercolor creates a sense of depth. You can almost feel the rust on the metal, the rough texture of the wood. Look at the way he renders the handle, simple lines yet so effective in suggesting its form and function. It reminds me a little of Charles Sheeler’s precisionist drawings, but with a warmer, more human touch. The beauty here is in the everyday, the overlooked. It is a reminder that art can be found in the simplest of objects, transforming the mundane into something worth contemplating. Like a still life by Morandi, but with a utilitarian twist.