Day Bed c. 1953

Irene Malawicz rendered this Day Bed in pencil and watercolor on paper. The cushion is a dreamy green, like faded sea glass, the frame sturdy. I’m imagining Irene standing, leaning over the page, carefully building up each layer. Did she pause to consider the angle of the back? Or the specific shade of green for the cushion? I wonder if she painted from observation, or from memory, and I’m curious about the kind of looking each method entails. The texture is smooth, translucent, each stroke deliberate. Notice how Malawicz embraces imperfection, allowing the pencil lines to peek through the washes of color, like a gentle reminder of the artist’s hand. I feel her presence in every brushstroke, every decision. Malawicz is part of a conversation with all artists who seek to capture the world around them. Each painting, each drawing, is like a note passed between friends across time. Each is a reminder that art is not about answers, but about asking better questions.