Bed: Bishop Hill c. 1936

This is Archie Thompson’s watercolour of a bed, made sometime in the 20th Century. Look how the wood grain is carefully rendered, like a map of a tiny world, and how the shadows imply the weight of this object. There's a kind of reverence in how Thompson painted this bed. It's not just a piece of furniture; it’s a place of rest, dreams, and maybe even a little bit of magic. The thin washes of watercolour let the light bounce around, giving the wood a warm glow. Notice the subtle variations in tone, especially on the headboard; how each stroke seems to mimic the texture of the wood itself. I wonder if he touched this very bed, traced its form with his fingertips before he started to paint? You know, seeing this piece reminds me a little of Edward Hopper, in that both artists have a quiet appreciation for the everyday objects that surround us. What Thompson offers us is not just a picture of a bed, but an invitation to contemplate the beauty in the mundane. It's like he's saying, “Hey, look at this. Isn't it something?”