Dining Table c. 1939

Lon Cronk made this drawing of a dining table sometime in the 20th century, using watercolor and graphite. The way he's rendered the wood, with its subtle gradients of warm browns, makes me think about the simple beauty of everyday objects. There’s something about the smooth, almost airbrushed quality of the watercolor that gives the table a quiet presence. It's like he's captured the essence of "table-ness," you know? The way the light catches the rounded edges, the shadows underneath—it's all so carefully observed. I'm drawn to the legs of the table, they have these bulbous curves that are really appealing. You can almost feel the weight of the table pressing down through them. This drawing reminds me a little of some of the Shaker furniture drawings, in their simplicity and focus on form. It’s art that invites you to slow down, appreciate the craftsmanship, and find beauty in the mundane.