Bonnet 1935 - 1942

Dorothy Gernon made this watercolour of a bonnet on paper at an unknown date. Gernon’s touch is so light here, it’s almost like she’s breathing colour onto the page. Look at the way she captures the soft folds and gathers of the fabric! It’s all about layering delicate washes of green and grey. The texture isn’t built up with thick paint but implied through subtle shifts in tone. You can almost feel the crispness of the fabric. There’s a real sense of intimacy in this piece, like we’re getting a glimpse into Gernon’s personal world. I’m reminded of the quiet, contemplative still lifes of Giorgio Morandi. Like Morandi, Gernon finds beauty in the everyday, transforming ordinary objects into something extraordinary through her sensitive handling of light and colour. It’s a reminder that art can be found in the simplest of things, if we take the time to truly see.