Melodeon c. 1938

Edna Rex rendered this Melodeon with what looks like watercolor on paper, though I can’t be sure. It's interesting how she approaches this object, this instrument. I’m drawn to the way the light seems to glow from within the wood, achieved by layering thin washes of brown, each stroke meticulously placed. The ornate legs look like a kind of calligraphy. You can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the paper, patiently building up the form. I wonder if she was a musician herself. There's a sense of quiet reverence here. It reminds me a little of some of the Shaker artists who celebrated the beauty and precision of everyday objects. But Rex brings a certain warmth and intimacy to her work. Maybe she's suggesting that art isn't just about grand statements, it can also be about the simple act of looking, of paying attention to the world around us.