Shaker Bookcase c. 1937

John W. Kelleher made this watercolour painting of a Shaker Bookcase and I'm already picturing him crouched down, peering closely, trying to capture every grain of the wood. It’s so funny how a painting of a functional object can become this totally absorbing thing. I'm wondering what he was thinking, what he was trying to get at. I mean, is it about the object itself, or something else? Something about light and shadow, maybe, or the way simple shapes come together? Look at the way he’s handled the colour! All those subtle variations, those little hints of warmth and coolness. It's not just brown, it’s like a whole world of browns. I imagine that this bookcase, for Kelleher, was not just a piece of furniture, but a way to explore something deeper, a way of seeing and understanding the world. Isn't it beautiful how artists can find inspiration in the most unexpected places?