Shaker Scales c. 1938

George V. Vezolles made this watercolor, “Shaker Scales,” sometime in the mid-20th century. I love the delicate hand here, the way the watercolor almost levitates on the page. It feels like a ghost of an object, rendered in a way that’s so meticulous, it’s almost surreal. I can imagine Vezolles, head bent over the paper, trying to capture the essence of these tools. The scales themselves, and then this little red box— maybe it contained the weights? It reminds me that painting is a process, a form of inquiry. It is about slowing down, observing, and trying to understand something deeply. There’s a real tenderness in the rendering of these everyday objects, elevating them, inviting us to pause and consider the beauty in the mundane. It’s like he’s saying, “Look closely, there’s something special here.” And isn't that what all artists do, really? Showing us how to see the world anew.