Colonial Rocking Chair c. 1937

Florence Truelson made this drawing of a Colonial Rocking Chair with watercolor and graphite on paper. There's a softness to Truelson's touch here, the kind that comes from really looking, of considering the fall of light and shadow across a familiar object. It's like she’s thinking through the rocking chair, trying to understand its form by building it up, piece by piece, with these delicate washes. Notice how the graphite outlines give the chair its structure, but it’s the watercolor that breathes life into it. The way she layers the browns and tans, it’s not just about color, it’s about texture, about feeling the smoothness of the wood and the weave of the seat. Look at the way the light catches on the rounded parts of the chair, how she uses darker shades to suggest depth and volume. There’s a real sensitivity to the object, a kind of quiet admiration. I’m reminded of the work of Charles Demuth, who also found beauty in the simplicity of everyday objects, elevating them through careful observation and rendering. In the end, it’s not just a rocking chair, it’s a study in light, form, and feeling, a moment of quiet contemplation made visible.