Mission Bench c. 1936

Edward Jewett made this drawing of a ‘Mission Bench’ with graphite and watercolor. It's a quiet, unassuming piece; the kind of thing that might easily get overlooked. Yet, there’s a certain charm in its simplicity, which I find deeply appealing. The color palette is quite muted, dominated by earthy browns and creams. Look at how the light is captured – soft and diffused, creating subtle variations in tone and texture, like a whisper across the surface. It’s the kind of painting where you can sense the artist working, making decisions, adjusting tones, and refining edges. I’m drawn to the delicate rendering of the wood grain on the seat, where the artist allowed the texture of the paper to show through. There's a similar interest to be found in the work of Fairfield Porter, who also found extraordinary poetry in the everyday. Like Porter, Jewett reminds us that art isn't about grand gestures or dramatic pronouncements, but a way of seeing and experiencing the world.