Warming Pan c. 1936

This is a watercolor painting by Beverly Chichester of a warming pan. The copper hues and delicate washes of color give the warming pan a luminous, almost ethereal quality. I can imagine Chichester carefully building up layers of pigment to capture the subtle variations in tone and texture. What might she have been thinking about as she painted this warming pan? Was she thinking about the history of this humble object? I love how the paint seems to hover between representation and abstraction. The subtle imperfections and irregularities in the painted surface remind us of the human hand and the artist's touch. You can see how artists are always in conversation, drawing inspiration and ideas from one another and from the world around them. This painting invites us to slow down, observe, and appreciate the beauty and complexity of everyday objects. It's an invitation to see the world with fresh eyes.