Mission Bench c. 1936

Edward Jewett made this lovely watercolour drawing, "Mission Bench," and it's a humble meditation on form, utility, and craft. I wonder, did Jewett labor over this? The way the pigment is applied is so precise and light. He's building up layers, stroke by stroke, to describe the wood and shadow, conjuring the very essence of the bench itself. It's like he’s whispering secrets about the object. I can imagine him studying the bench, really trying to understand its structure. There’s a gentleness and reverence in his rendering. Did he build benches himself, or just admire those that did? It's a quiet piece, but it speaks volumes about the beauty and the dignity of everyday objects. His delicate touch really captures something essential about the handmade, and the mission-style ethos.