Newel Post 1935 - 1942

This watercolour shows part of a staircase, with a wooden newel post and banisters. I can just imagine the artist, hunched over their drawing board, carefully mixing their paints to get just the right shade of brown for the wood. I wonder what they were thinking as they painted each detail, the play of light on the smooth surfaces, the subtle variations in tone that suggest the texture of the wood. Maybe they were an architect, mapping out the different aspects of a house’s design; I feel like this has a technical quality, something to show a client. Or maybe they were just someone who appreciated the simple beauty of everyday objects. It’s fascinating how the artist captured these essential forms. Like many makers, the artist is in dialogue with others across time, inspiring creativity and providing different ways of seeing, thinking, and experiencing the world.