Grocery Store 1935 - 1942

Perkins Harnly’s watercolor, "Grocery Store," is a portal into another time, maybe one the artist knew, or maybe it was a fantasy. The muted color palette, a symphony of browns, reds, and creams, creates a dreamlike atmosphere. I can almost feel Harnly’s hand moving across the paper, carefully rendering each item, imbuing them with a sense of nostalgia. Imagine him, perched in front of his subject, squinting to capture every little detail from the tins on the shelves to the weighing scales. The textures are flat yet they create volume as your eyes explore the space. The hand of the artist feels present, the marks deliberate and precise. It reminds me of the work of other artists, like Rackstraw Downes, who find beauty in the mundane. Looking at this piece, I'm reminded that artists are in constant conversation, drawing inspiration from the world around them, and each other. Harnly’s painting feels like a quiet meditation on time, memory, and the simple beauty of everyday life.