Shaker Secretary Desk c. 1937

This watercolour of a Shaker Secretary Desk was made by John W. Kelleher, sometime between 1855 and 1995. Just imagine him with his paints and brushes, trying to capture all those different shades of brown, and all those drawers. I can really feel his careful and methodical approach. Every line is so precise. He’s working within a tradition, referencing all the artists who ever painted furniture, and pushing against that too. It makes me think about what it means to be a painter, trying to capture something real on a flat surface. I love how the desk itself seems so solid, almost touchable. It reminds me that art is not just about ideas, but about feeling, about being in the world. John Kelleher is in conversation with other artists across time. He reminds us of the power of art to help us see the world in new ways, to question our assumptions, and to connect with one another.