Side Chair 1935 - 1942

Mattie P. Goodman made this watercolor painting of a side chair, probably without knowing how closely I’d be looking at it years later. I love the way she approached such a familiar object, not trying to make it too perfect, but capturing something about its essence. The color palette is simple, but it works. The dark brown of the wood against the black seat creates a nice contrast, and the light background lets the chair stand out. I can almost feel the texture of the wood and the smoothness of the seat just by looking at it. Notice the slight variations in the color of the wood, especially on the top of the chair back. It’s these small details that bring the painting to life, revealing the hand of the artist, not quite covering it up. Goodman’s work reminds me a bit of some of the Shaker furniture drawings, but with a bit more personality. Art’s like a big conversation, different voices talking to each other across time. It’s not about having the final word, but about keeping the conversation going.