Plane for Leveling Wood c. 1936

Lena Nastasi made this drawing of a plane for leveling wood, with what looks like watercolor, at some point during her long life. The brown tones give it a kind of earthy feel, almost like she ground up dirt and used it as pigment. I can see the delicate lines where she outlined the form, not quite precise, but full of intention. The layering of the color gives it a sense of depth, especially in the main block of wood. It's like she’s thinking through the object as she’s painting it. Look at the handle, how it’s just kind of floating there. That open space in the handle becomes really important. It’s like a window, offering a different way of seeing the tool, and maybe even the world. It reminds me a bit of some of Giorgio Morandi’s still life paintings, where he took simple, everyday objects and turned them into something meditative and profound. It is a good reminder that art isn’t always about grand gestures. Sometimes, it’s about noticing the quiet beauty in the ordinary.