Cabinet 1935 - 1942

Grace Thomas made this painting of a small wooden cabinet, likely in her studio in Santa Fe. You can almost feel the warmth of the New Mexico sun as you observe the rich, reddish-brown hues of the wood, carefully rendered on a small piece of paper. I imagine Grace, focused and deliberate, mixing her watercolors to capture each subtle tone and shadow. She probably worked slowly, building up thin layers of color to create depth. The slight imperfection on the bottom drawer is my favorite part – that little bit of wear and tear that tells a story. It reminds me that objects, like us, carry traces of the past. As a painter, I’m really drawn to that—the evidence of touch and time. We are all cabinets of curiosities, with layers of stories that make us who we are.