Apple Parer c. 1939

Regina Henderer made this watercolor of an apple parer, sometime during her long life. There’s a real gentleness in how she’s approached it, using thin washes of color to build up the form. It’s like she’s feeling her way around the object, understanding it through the act of painting. Look closely, and you can almost feel the texture of the wood. The subtle variations in tone suggest the grain, the way light catches on its surface. The palette is restrained, mostly browns and creams, but within that, there’s a whole world of subtle shifts. I'm drawn to the base of the parer, with the chipped corner; it's not just a drawing of a thing, it's a record of use and the passage of time. There’s something about Henderer’s painting that reminds me of those early American folk artists. I like the way she embraces simplicity. For Henderer, the image is not about illusionism, but about capturing the essence of a thing. It’s honest, straightforward, and deeply human.