Exterior Sand Blasting Chamber, 1935 1935 - 1942

Perkins Harnly made this watercolour, Exterior Sand Blasting Chamber, in 1935, and it's like a recipe for a dream. The colour palette is muted, almost desaturated, with these soft greys and greens that give it a kind of industrial romance. There's something beautiful about the way Harnly renders these metal structures with such delicate washes. The transparency of the watercolour allows the light to bounce around, creating a subtle glow. Look closely at the pipes snaking across the ceiling – each one is carefully delineated with subtle shading. The thinness of the paint feels right, like a ghost of industry, not solid but present. This reminds me a bit of Charles Sheeler's precisionism, but with a more human touch. Both artists were interested in industrial landscapes, but Harnly brings a certain warmth to the subject matter, making it feel less like a cold machine and more like a space where people work. It’s all about embracing the ambiguity, finding beauty in the unexpected, and celebrating the ongoing conversation between art and life.