Doll: "Rose Anne" c. 1937

Eugene Croe made this watercolor of a doll named "Rose Anne" sometime in the 20th century. The colors are muted, and the effect is one of gentle nostalgia. You can see the hand of the artist in the deliberate application of each mark, honoring the handmade quality of the doll itself. The texture of the watercolor gives the doll a soft, almost dreamlike quality. The red and white checkered dress is so meticulously rendered, but Croe doesn't get bogged down in the details, especially in the face of the doll. Instead of aiming for a perfect likeness, he captures the essence of the doll’s presence, its quiet stillness. Look at how the lace trim at the bottom of the dress is only suggested, not fully described, like a half-remembered memory. I am reminded of the work of Bill Traylor, who, like Croe, found beauty in the everyday and created art that is both simple and profound. Both artists show us that art isn't always about grand gestures. Sometimes, it's about paying attention to the small things and finding the extraordinary in the ordinary.