"Poke" Bonnet c. 1935 - 1942

Irene Lawson made this watercolor, Poke Bonnet, and it gives off the feeling of a very careful record keeping. The rendering of the light across the surface feels very exact, almost scientific. Look at the weave of the bonnet and how it contrasts with the soft floral pattern on the scarf. There’s a tension between the rigidity of the hat’s structure and the flowing design of the fabric, it looks like a study of textures. I wonder what kind of brushes Lawson used, maybe something very fine, or perhaps a dry brush technique. The overall effect is delicate, but also a little bit mysterious. It reminds me of the work of artists like Joseph Cornell, who also found poetry in the everyday. Art is like a conversation, always echoing across time.