Measure c. 1940

Hester Duany made this watercolor, "Measure", on paper sometime in the first half of the twentieth century. It has that humble, work-a-day palette, all those browns and ochres. It reminds me that art is all about process; a way of understanding how things are made, how forms take shape over time. The surface is smooth, with thin washes of color building up the form of this vessel. You can see the delicate rendering of the wood grain, the way the light catches on the lip of the cup, and the subtle shadows that give it volume. Notice the handle – it's almost like a little block, a geometric interruption in the otherwise curving form. It’s the detail that brings the object to life. It calls to mind those early American folk artists, like Joseph Stella, who found beauty in the everyday objects around them. This piece isn't about grand statements, it’s a quiet observation. It’s like a conversation about seeing and feeling the world through simple things.