Shaker Tall Clock c. 1937

William Paul Childers made this ‘Shaker Tall Clock’ from watercolour. The subtle washes of brown paint describe the play of light across the clock’s wooden surface. Childers’ approach to mark-making feels almost like a form of meditation, carefully building up tone to create a sense of depth and volume. The texture of the paper peeks through the thin layers of pigment, giving the image a luminous quality. See how the artist captures the grain of the wood, not with hard lines, but with gentle gradations of colour? It’s in these details that the painting really comes alive. The clock face itself is a delicate dance of numbers and hands, each precisely rendered with a fine brush. This artwork reminds me a little of Agnes Martin's grids, in its quiet dedication to process. Like Martin, Childers finds beauty in simplicity and repetition, proving that sometimes, less really is more. Art is about having a conversation with yourself and with the world.