Envelope Opener c. 1939

Walter W. Jennings made this watercolor, Envelope Opener, at an unknown date. It depicts a letter opener. The opener is given a muted brown wash. Look at the way the paint pools, creating a sense of depth and subtle shifts in color. This isn’t just a picture of something; it's about the qualities of the paint, the way it interacts with the paper. The process feels like an act of tender observation, each stroke a meditation on form and function. The subtle gradations of color and the feathery strokes make you want to reach out and touch it. Notice the delicate lines suggesting the feather-like end of the opener, against the creamy blankness of the paper. It reminds me a little of Charles Burchfield's watercolors, where everyday objects become imbued with a kind of quiet magic. It's a reminder that art is everywhere, in the most ordinary things, waiting for us to notice.