Ladder Back Chair 1938

Annie B. Johnston made this drawing of a ladder back chair, we don’t know when, and with what looks like watercolor or gouache. The chair sits centrally on the page, bathed in a kind of gentle light. I like the way Johnston captured the wood grain; a kind of greyish, brownish, knobbly texture that gives the whole chair a grounded, sturdy feel. It reminds me of Fairfield Porter, but more folksy. The paint is quite thin, allowing the paper to breathe, and the woven seat is described with such care. Look at how the lines of the woven texture curve and bend. It’s this little detail, this attention to the tactile, that gives the work its charm. The chair is not just an object; it's a presence. It makes me think about my own painting process, the way each mark builds on the last, how the materials themselves guide the way. It’s about the conversation with the medium, whether it’s paint or, in this case, pencil and paper. This piece feels like a quiet conversation, a slow meditation on form and texture. It's a reminder that art doesn't always need to shout; sometimes, it whispers.