Wooden Armoire c. 1941

Adele Brooks made this watercolour of a wooden armoire sometime in the twentieth century. I love how the artist has represented the dark wood, it's like the building blocks of colour, layered and washed together, to create a sense of depth. You can almost see her thinking as she paints, figuring out the shape, the light, the shadow. Imagine Brooks standing in front of the original armoire, brush in hand, carefully studying every detail. I think she was interested in the texture of the wood, the way the light hits the surface, and maybe, in the stories, this object could tell. The additional sketches, which look like design details, give the piece a different dimension, opening up questions about design and craft. Artists like Brooks teach us to look closely, to appreciate the beauty in the everyday, and to see the world with fresh eyes. We are all in this conversation together, finding inspiration in the most unexpected places.