Tilt Top Table c. 1937

Dorothy Handy made this Tilt Top Table with what looks like watercolor and graphite on paper. I think that the way the artist carefully built up the color, layer by layer, really speaks to the care taken with this piece. The color palette is muted, but there's a subtle play of light and shadow. The brushstrokes are delicate. The texture of the wood grain is rendered with fine lines. It’s as if each mark is a thoughtful decision. Look at the tabletop. Do you notice the light reflecting off the top? It's not just about the object itself, but the atmosphere it inhabits. Handy's work reminds me of the Shaker artists. Like them, she finds beauty in simplicity, and she transforms ordinary objects into something extraordinary. What do you think?