Black Silk Bonnet c. 1936

This is B. Berndt's 'Black Silk Bonnet', a watercolor made at an unknown date. You know, looking at the gentle blending of tones, I can just imagine Berndt in the studio, patiently layering the paint to capture the sheen of the silk. The brushstrokes are so careful, almost reverent, like they're trying to preserve the memory of this object. It reminds me of Morandi's still lifes, or maybe even some of those early American folk paintings. Berndt is seeing and thinking about a simple object. What do you think they thought about when making it? The way Berndt renders the folds and curves, there is a sense of time. This painting is part of an ongoing exchange among artists, and that painters have been looking at the world, trying to capture its essence on canvas. They are trying to open up new ways of seeing and experiencing the world.