Nameboard from Schooner 1935 - 1942

Beverly Chichester made this nameboard from a Schooner in watercolor, and it's interesting to see how she approaches the task of representation here. The mark-making is quite deliberate, almost like a technical drawing, but there’s also a softness to the way the colors blend. The browns and blues are earthy and muted, evoking a sense of maritime history. I like how she uses color to create depth, especially in the rendering of the objects loaded onto the ship. Look closely at the wooden barrel—the variations in tone suggest roundness and volume. It’s clear that the process of painting is very present. You can see how the artist built up layers of color to achieve the final effect. The slightly imperfect rendering of the objects gives the piece a humble, handmade quality. It reminds me a little of some of the early American folk art, which embraced simplicity and directness over perfect realism. It's all so charming, because art is always a conversation, right?