Doorway, Stone c. 1940

Juanita Donahoo, in this watercolour painting, takes us to an ancient stone doorway, rendered in muted grays and earth tones. I imagine her, brush in hand, carefully building up layers of translucent washes, each stroke capturing the rough texture of the stones. There’s a real sense of history here, a feeling of time passing and the elements taking their toll. See how the archway is blocked with brick. Maybe the artist felt a kind of sympathy for this architectural fragment? I love how she’s managed to convey the weight and solidity of the stone with such a delicate medium. I think that tension makes this a really interesting image. It's not unlike a Cy Twombly wall, but in watercolour. Each brushstroke feels like a little meditation on form and light. We are all in conversation with one another. It's a constant exchange.