Lenrert Estate c. 1936

Gladys Cook made this watercolor, Lenrert Estate. Look how the washes of color overlap, so light and airy! It's like she's letting the paint do its own thing, trusting the process. The way she's layered the greens and browns gives the landscape a real sense of depth. And those soft, muted colors create this dreamy, almost nostalgic feeling. I’m drawn to the line of the road at the bottom edge. It’s made with a delicate touch, but it creates a strong diagonal that anchors the whole composition. It really highlights Cook’s ability to capture the essence of a place with so few marks. It reminds me a little bit of Milton Avery’s work, that same simplicity and focus on color relationships. I think Cook's painting is about capturing a fleeting moment, a specific mood, rather than a literal representation.