Child's Folding Chair c. 1938

Magnus Fossum made this watercolor drawing of a Child's Folding Chair, and it's all about the delicate dance between color and form. The red isn't just slapped on; it's coaxed onto the paper, layer by transparent layer, letting the light peek through. Now, check out how Fossum handles the wood grain. It's not just about copying what he sees; it's about feeling the texture, the way the light catches on the surface. You can almost feel the smoothness under your fingertips, right? And that red, it’s not uniform. It shifts and changes, giving the chair a sense of depth and weight. It reminds me of Agnes Martin, in the way that she also was so dedicated to the act of looking, to the subtle variations and imperfections that make a piece come alive. This piece is an invitation to slow down, to see the beauty in the everyday.