Quaker Girl 1915

Grace Cossington Smith’s painting, Quaker Girl, is made from oil paint applied with visible brushstrokes. Smith uses small, deliberate marks to build up the composition, allowing the texture of the paint to contribute to the overall effect. The visible brushwork and layering of colors suggest a patient, considered approach. The artist’s hand is evident in the application of each stroke, which results in a sense of intimacy and connection with the subject. The everyday scene of a woman drinking tea is made extraordinary through the medium of painting and the artist’s choice of style. The painting's emphasis on materials, making, and context invites us to appreciate the labor involved in its creation, challenging conventional notions of fine art by focusing on the artistic process itself, rather than the subject matter alone.