Desk c. 1940

Edna C. Rex made this drawing of a desk, and what grabs me is the way the brown washes are laid down with such precision. You can almost feel the grain of the wood, can’t you? The artist renders the desk with such care. Look at the way the light catches the edges, giving it a kind of glow. It's like Rex isn't just drawing a desk; she's capturing a moment, a feeling. The color isn't just brown; it's a warm, inviting hue that pulls you in. Notice the way she’s carefully rendered the hardware in the upper section, it’s delightful. It reminds me of some of the design drawings by Josef Albers when he was at the Bauhaus. Both artists have this way of making functional objects into things of beauty. And like Albers, Rex invites us to see the world with fresh eyes, finding beauty in the everyday.